Walking Free
by Arcus Pluvius
Summary: An innocent Harry escapes from Azkaban with the aid of an unlikely person. He is confused, hurt and on the run. Suffering from a past he is struggling to remember, how will he heal the scars without his friends by his side. RL/NT, HG/RW, HP/GW.
1. Prologue

Hi! This is my new story and i hope you all like it.

I do not own Harry Potter.

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Walking Free

_Prologue_

Severus Snape had never been one to follow orders. He much preferred to do things his own way and to figure things out for himself. There was, however, one man, of whom everyone feared, that everyone obeyed, even Severus Snape. No matter how ghastly or preposterous the task, one must do as one is told. That was exact position the potions master found himself in.

As Severus glided through the atrium of Malfoy Manor, he held himself steady. Walking in the direction of the dungeon, Severus passed the library. In the doorway was a rather distraught and ill looking Draco. The boy looked up as Severus passed but he paid him no mind.

He continued towards the bottom of the house and descended the dark stairwell. Standing by the door to great him was a giddy Lucius Malfoy.

'Lucius,' Snape nodded towards the blonde.

'I'm glad you could come today, Severus. I know you'll enjoy this; the Dark Lord has prepared a little something for us all. Draco has already has his turn.'

Snape felt his stomach drop. He wondered what they had made him do, and guessed that was the reason the boy looked so unlike his usual self.

Lucius opened the door and walked in. Snape hesitated before following the man.

Snape couldn't see. The room was completely drenched in darkness. As his eyes became accustom to the dark, he could begin to make out shapes of different objects.

Squinting his eyes, Snape spotted a body. It was magically tied up with ropes and was slumped up against the wall in the far corner. Stepping closer, other objects came into view. To the right, shackles were bolted into the walls, to his left, a large basin of water sat up against brick. A puddle of the water had gathered around it and the water continued along the floor towards the captive.

The captive itself, made no movement as Snape approached. The Death Eater looked down at the tortured soul and realised that their head was covered with a cloth bag. It was unlikely that they could see or hear anything, making the whole ordeal that much more terrifying.

'The bag is to hide his identity.' Lucius stated obviously. Snape rolled his eye.

'I can see that.'

'Hmm, well just don't remove it.'

Snape waited for the blonde to leave but when he made no attempt to exit, Severus sighed.

'_I better get this over and done with.'_

'Crucio!'

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Chapter one will be up soon as i've already written it.

Please review!


	2. The Pebble

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Here is chapter one! I hope you like it!

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Three ye

ars later

Harry's muscles felt weak as he slowly trudged after the dementor. It felt like a lifetime since Harry and walked properly and his legs felt sore and tired. He nervously ran a shaky, dirty hand through his shaggy hair. 'Who would come to visit me?' he wondered. No one had visited him in the three years he had been at Azkaban, so why now?

The dementor stopped outside a large metal door, turning to Harry. He cowered slightly as the black creature that had always been Harry's greatest fear, leant in. Before Harry could take a step back, the dementor turned and fled the way they had just come.

With a sigh of relief, Harry examined the door before him. He reached out but before he could take hold of the handle, a voice spoke out from behind him.

'Having a good morning, Mr. Potter?'

Harry smirked. 'I wouldn't know. I don't really keep track of the days and nights.'

'Mmmhmm. Sorry to be rude but I am not here to discuss such pleasantries with you today.'

'Or ever,' Harry mumbled under his breath.

The dark figure stepped closer to Harry, revealing himself in the dim light. Harry could clearly make out the long sharp face of a tall, broad shouldered Auror, who had been one of the many at his trial three years ago.

'Right Potter, you have one hour in there so no tricks.'

Harry smirked at the demand. 'Me? Tricks? Well I never-'

A large fist collided with his face, knocking him back against the wall. 'Listen to me Potter! I want no funny business from you OK?'

A hand wrapped around Harry's throat and held him in a death grip.

'Oh yes cause I'm I real joker.' Harry chocked.

Harry's head was slammed against the wall and the hand around his neck seemed to tighten. 'I mean it Potter! No FUNNY BUISNESS!'

Pushing Harry to the side, the Auror unlocked the door to his right, and stepped back to let Harry in.

Before the door was shut behind Harry, he heard a low voice at his ear. 'Remember Potter, I'm watching you. I have eyes everywhere.'

Harry gave a low, gruff, chuckle but stopped when he saw who it was that had come to 'visit' him. 'Hmm, more like torture' he thought.

'Oh, Potter, you worse than the last time I saw you, and that's saying something!'

'Yep, defiantly torture.'

'Hello to you too, Malfoy.' As Harry slumped down into the seat opposite the blonde, he noticed the black briefcase sitting down by Malfoy's feet.

'By God, what have you done to your face?'

'What would you expect from someone, after being here for three years? So, just cut the shit, Malfoy.' Harry tried not to sound angry but Draco knew just how to get on his nerves.

Now Draco laughed, his light hair shaking slightly.

'Why are you here Malfoy?'

The blonde seemed to think about his answer before giving it. 'I don't believe that you're guilty.'

'Oh, well that sure is a comfort.'

'I know what my father did.'

Harry stared at him and shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. The image of the Death Eaters surrounding him, manipulating his body and mind sent a shiver through him.

'And I can get you out.' This last bit was so quite, Harry was almost sure he had imagined it.

'You, you can get me out?' Harry asked quietly.

Draco looked at him for a few moments, and then nodded.

Silence. Neither of them spoke. Nothing. Malfoy was about to lean over the table to slap the boy, to make sure he hadn't died on him, when green eyes were suddenly on him.

'Why didn't you come BEFORE?'

'Now, now Potter, calm down. Oh now I can see what they mean by insane.'

'What? Insane? What do you mean?'

Draco leant down and lifted the briefcase to the table. On opening it, the lifted out two sheets of paper. He held one up to his face.

'Hmm, let's see here. Oh yes.' He coughed to clear his throat, before reading aloud. 'Harry James Potter-

Physical Health- Underweight, malnourished.

Mental Health- Rarely speaks, screams at random intervals. Slight insanity.'

'How lovely.' Harry muttered

'Quite'

'If only they knew', thought Harry. Voldemort and Harry's connection seemed to have become stronger since the incidence in the Ministry of Magic at the end of Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts when Sirius had died. He was frequently woken from his dreams by pains from the scar on his forehead. Sometimes, they were so unbearable that Harry's screams could be heard from three floors below.

'So, what? Did you just come to see me to tell me what I already know and that I am going completely loopy?'

'As much as I would like to, that is not why I came here today. I am here to do business with you.'

Putting the first piece of paper to the side, Draco slid another in front of Harry.

'What's this?'

'A letter.'

'Why thank you for clearing that up for me. I would never have guessed that this is indeed, a letter. Very kind of you to point that out to me.' Harry spat.

'Read it Potter. Oh well that is if you still can. I don't know if you are still capable of doing such mundane tasks.'

'Oh how delightful.' Harry smiled sarcastically.

'Really Potter, sarcasm doesn't suit you.'

Harry sighed before looking down at the letter. Draco watched as Harry read it once, then again, taking in the words on the page. Then he looked up.

'You want my money' Harry stated.

'Well, not me exactly, the Ministry does. I'm just here to get you to sign, therefore allowing the Ministry to use a portion of your money to help at the hospitals. We need money to help develop new equipment and seeing as you are not using your money, we thought that you might like to donate. It is really a rather common occurrence. Numerous prisoners with life sentences are asked if they would allow the ministry to use their money for good causes. You are one of many.'

Harry read the letter again, and the held out his hand. 'Quill?'

Draco smirked, reaching into his pocket and pulled out a black feathered quill. Harry took hold of it and twirled it in his fingers. It had been a long time since he had been allowed to use a quill but it felt good in his grasp.

Dipping it into the ink Draco had supplied, he put the nib to the paper. Harry slowly scrawled his signature. It was a bit shaky and the ink splodges at the end were enough to show his lack of practice.

'There.' Harry slid the letter across the table towards Draco. 'Now what?'

'Well, I think I should be on my way.'

Draco stood, lifting his briefcase and turned to the door.

'Hey, wait! You said you could help me!'

Sighing, Draco turned back to the table and reached into his robe pocket again. Then he placed the item down in front of Harry.

It was a pebble.

'Thanks. I really needed another pebble to add to my rock collection.'

Draco gave Harry a withering look, and then examined his watch. 'It will activate in roughly ten hours at exactly nine pm. Be Ready Potter.'

'Be ready for what? What is this?' he cried, pointing to the pebble. 'It's just some rock!'

'Ever heard of a Portkey, Potter?' He hissed and with that, Draco Malfoy left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Picking up the pebble Harry grinned. 'A portkey? Hmm, maybe Malfoy isn't a complete idiot.'

Harry was about to leave the room when he noticed the piece of paper on the table. Harry furrowed his brow when he realised that it was the Ministry letter. 'OK, maybe Malfoy is that stupid after all.'

Then a thought struck him. This was no mistake. This was all part of Malfoy's plan. His plan to get Harry out. To help him.

Harry just hoped that it would work.

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Please Review!

Just to let you all know, Ginny won't be in the story untill later.


	3. The Burrow

Hi! Sorry the 'three years later' bit on the last chapter went a bit funny! I still keep making mistakes when putting up chapters :(

Please enjoy!

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Walking Free

_The Burrow_

Harry sat. He sat and waited. Nothing. The wait was long. Long and cold. A harsh wind seemed to endlessly flow through his cell yet there were no doors or windows nearby.

Harry rolled the small, smooth pebble in his palm. Holding it up, he could see that it was almost perfectly round and was a pale, beige in colour. He wondered where the portkey would take him. Seeing as it was Draco Malfoy who had decided its destination, he supposed that it wouldn't be highly desirable.

'_How long has it been?' _he thought. He had spent too long just waiting. Waiting for his time to come. When death would finally reach out and grasp him, plucking him out of existence. _'Has it really been three years since I thrown in here? This hell hole? My own personal torture?'_ Harry let his head fall back against the stone wall. He hoped that this was not some trick. He desperately hoped that this was it. The real thing. His escape. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

He hoped to all the Gods above that Draco Malfoy, of all people, would pull through for him.

Harry thought back to what Draco had said to him earlier before he left.

'_It will activate at 9pm.'_

If only he knew the time. He didn't have anyway of telling the time from his cell. There was no window to see the sun by and he had no watch or clock. He just had to sit, and wait; like he always did.

He suddenly felt a tremble at his fingers. Without any further warning, he felt the uncomfortable pull from behind his navel that he hadn't experienced in so long.

Within moments he was gone. The writing and pictures on the walls were the only thing that showed that there had been any life in the cell for some time.

The ground beneath his feet was gone in a flash and his body was thrust forward. He barely has time to think before he was thrown back down.

Of all the places he could have picked, Draco Malfoy had chosen this. A field. Not just any field, no. A field full of marshes. Nice, big marshes at that.

Harry stood, thick mud dripping down his skin, and tried to climb up the wet grass. He slipped and fell on his chin. A loud groan was the only thing to be heard in the cool, summer night.

Finally managing to stand erect without falling over again, Harry surveyed the area. The wind wiped his face and hair as he searched the encompassing bogs for a way out. Sopping wet, after another tumble, Harry made his way across the soggy land towards what he hoped was civilisation.

As he walked on, Harry became conscious of his lack of warm clothing; the harsh breeze seemed to go straight through him, causing him to shiver. He hoped that he could find an empty house in which he would steal some clothes, money and food to keep him going. The matted shoes that he wore were soaking and the holes in the bottom did not help the painful sores that had already begun to form.

It wasn't long until Harry realised that he had passed the bogs and was now walking on hard, barren land. Whilst he was taking in the scenery, Harry began to recognise the area. The hill ahead seemed strangely familiar and Harry wondered if Malfoy would have been kind enough to send him to a place he had been to before.

Each breath Harry took became sharp in his chest as he made his way up the hill. The rabbit holes in the ground and the long grass made climbing harder and his numb feet made it difficult to stand. It was when he reached the top that Harry recognised it as Stoatshead Hill, the area where he had taken the Portkey to the Quidditch World Cup in the summer before his fourth year.

Catching his breath, Harry thought for a while. If he went in the right direction, he would be heading towards the village of Ottery St Catchpole, where the Weasley's lived. His heart jumped in his chest. What if he saw the Weasleys? How would they react? Did he even want to see them? He was still not sure if they were on his side, or whether they believe that he really had almost killed one of their own. Would they turn him in? What would he say if he did see them? There were too many questions he didn't know, or even want to answer right now. He was still tired and all too confused to think straight.

He just needed to take it a step at a time. He'd think about all that when the time came.

As Harry approached the house he saw lights in the kitchen and figures moving around. It must have been quite late as Harry had been walking for what felt like hours and the colour of the sky had deepened since he had landed in the marsh. He gingerly sat on the ground under a large tree a couple hundred metres from the house, noting that every bone in his body was aching and that his chest felt tight from an oncoming cold. It was freezing for a summers evening but the lights from the house gave Harry a warm feeling inside that he hadn't felt for years. He was free. After three, horrendous years, he was free. No more dementors or aurors watching his every move and no more waiting. With these happy thoughts, Harry fell into a peaceful sleep.

It took Harry a while for his eyes to adjust to the strong morning sun when he first woke. He stiffly stood up, stretching his legs and began to walk around the edge of the Burrow towards the small stream that passed through the property. From the position of the sun, Harry could tell that it was early and that none of the Weasleys would be awake yet. Under the cover of the trees, Harry climbed into the cold stream fully clothed, after placing the letter about his money on the bank to ensure it stayed dry. His body screamed in protest as his dirty skin met the flowing water but he was in desperate need of a shower and at the moment this was the best he was going to get.

Having successfully washed himself, Harry made his way back to the tree where he had slept the previous night. He was waiting for the members of the family to leave, allowing him to enter the house and find a way to get to London where he could access his vault in Gringotts. The nearest wizard house from here was miles and Harry didn't want to risk getting lost so he remained under the tree, watching the house.

After a while, when Harry was almost completely dry, he noticed an owl flying overhead towards the Burrow. Standing up to get a better look, he realised it was the owl that delivered the Daily Prophet to wizarding families. The brown bird landed on the open window allowing someone to take the paper and place five knuts into its pouch.

Ron yawned widely as he stumbled out of his room and down the stairs to the kitchen where the smell of bacon drifted through the house. It was as he entered that kitchen that he noticed the Prophet owl approaching the house. He moved towards the open window where the bird had landed and took the paper. As he paid for the delivery, he looked out of the window and noticed a dark figure under a nearby tree. Thinking himself drowsy, Ron shook his head and turned from the window.

Upon opening the paper, Ron froze. His blood went cold as he took in the words in front of him.

'Oh, hello dear. Would you like some breakfast.' Ron heard his mother busy behind him, laying the table.

'He… he's gone.' Ron stuttered.

'What was that dear?' Mrs. Weasley seemed to have missed the shock in his voice, as she continued to juggle with the cutlery.

'Harry, he got out!'

The silence in the room was almost painful. Ron turned around to face his mother and realised that the whole family were now present. With shaking hands, he held up the paper to show his unbelieving family members the headline of the Daily Profit.

'Potter Escapes in the Dead of Night.'

On opening the door, Harry was greeted by the warn, familiar smell of the Burrow; the place he had once considered a second home. The house was eerily quiet, and Harry guessed that they had all gone to the Order meeting he had overheard the Weasley family discussing, when they believed to have been alone.

The smell of fresh cooking immediately hit Harry, and he was suddenly overcome with hunger. He reached out to a large plate covered with pancakes. He shoved one, two, then three into his mouth, one after another.

After only a few more bites, Harry realised that he couldn't eat anymore. The amount of food given in Azkaban was so poor that Harry found he could no longer consume the large quantities of food he used to when at the Weasley's.

He soon felt the need for a drink and quickly found a mug sitting on the draining board. Filling it with water, he downed it in one.

After quenching his thirst, Harry, although feeling rather out of place, took a look around the familiar house. Upon entering the sitting room Harry was alarmed at what he saw; a snowy white owl with large amber eyes, sitting at the open window, looking directly at him.

His breath caught in this throat and he felt relief flood through him.

'Hedwig?'

The bird, instantly recognising who he was, jumped up onto Harry's shoulder and began to gently peck his right ear in a friendly manner. Harry raised a hand and ran his slim fingers through the soft feathers he had missed so much.

Harry soon realised that if his bird was here, than the rest of his belongings might be too. He had always wondered had happened to Hedwig after he had been sent to Azkaban, and he had been worried for her. Now that he knew she had been staying with the Weasleys, he felt somewhat better.

With Hedwig firmly attached to his person, Harry slowly climbed the stairs. Overall the house hadn't changed since the last time he had been there. Some of the furniture had been changed but only slightly. There were pictures on the walls that Harry didn't remember seeing there before but apart from that, the house was how it always had been.

Harry stopped ascending the stairs in front of one of the moving photos on the wall. It was of the whole Weasley family, all grinning and laughing at the camera. The sequence of the photo started from the beginning and Harry watched intently.

Harry could clearly make out Bill and Charlie standing on the left, Ginny in between them. She was smiling so brightly, Harry almost felt as if she was in the room with him. Next to them were Fred and George, shoving each other around like the fools they were, while their mother turned and swatted then playfully before turning back to he husband with a heart warming smile. Mr. Weasley looked down at her and kissed her forehead, and then he waved at the camera. Harry's eyes drifted over the picture, past Percy, who stood firm, looking rather out of place among his jovial family, to three young teens with their arms around each other. Hermione and Ron were laughing and joking with each other, grinning widely. Harry's eyes then stopped at the last person in the photo. The boy stood, at the far right, a small sheepish smile on his face. It was himself. His dark hair fluttered in the summer breeze as he leant on his best friends shoulder. He looked so calm and happy, surrounded by the people who loved him as their own. How that had changed.

Before Harry had realised, the picture froze, and started once more.

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I hope it wasn't too bad. Please review! They make me happy! :)

The next chapter should be up soon!


	4. A Trip to Gringotts

Hi, i hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Walking Free

_A Trip to Gringotts_

Once he had succeeded in opening the door to the attic, Harry climbed up and studied his surroundings. Cobwebs descended from the ceiling and dust was heavy in the air. The room was almost completely bare apart from one dark corner to Harry's left.

On approaching it, Harry realised that it was a trunk, covered with a large grey cloth. Bending down, he lifted the sheet into the air. In doing so, a thick cloud of dust bellowed around him.

Harry coughed and flapped his arms, trying to clear the air. Once his sight had been returned, Harry focused his eyes on the object at hand. It was in fact, as he had first thought, a trunk. The dark wood was scratched and battered from large amounts of use.

Harry was about to open it when he saw the gold lettering underneath the lock. He tentatively ran his fingers over the smooth writing and smiled.

_Harry J. Potter_

Harry laughed to himself at the thought that only his belongings were hidden away in the small attic. His possessions were no longer worthy of the Weasley's grace. He was almost surprised that Hedwig hadn't been treated in the same manner.

As if reading his mind, Hedwig pecked his ear before swooping down from his shoulder, landing on the top of the trunk. The look in her eyes was one of determination and Harry soon understood her demands.

Gently lifting Hedwig off the wood, Harry set her back down on his arm.

Harry sighed in relief when he noticed that the trunk was not locked. He flipped up the metal latch and raised the lid.

He was almost surprised to find the trunk completely full. He had had a strange feeling that it would be empty, and his search for his belongings would have all been in vain.

The first item he saw was his cloak. The material seemed to shine in the morning light coming from the window to his right, when he picked it up. It was soft to the touch, just as he remembered it had been. Putting his father's cloak to the side, Harry's eyes fell upon his Firebolt. It looked just as it did the first day he had obtained it. Picking it out of the trunk he placed it next to the cloak. He would be using that later, that was, if he could remember how to.

He also found quite a few of his clothes, two pairs of converses, and a pile of books he remembered using at school only a few years ago. How he had missed Hogwarts. The safety he felt from its walls was like nothing he could feel anywhere else. The friends he had made there, the enemies too. Harry suddenly thought of Draco but he wasn't sure if he could still count him as an enemy anymore. He had saved him from the hell but Harry still had some doubt as to how sincere Draco had been in that heroic act.

Harry chose a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans, along with socks, underwear and the green sneakers and put them to the side. He then quickly scanned the trunk for the item he was most interested in finding.

Near the bottom of the trunk, Harry found a long slim box. He slipped off the lid and smiled. His wand sat perfectly on the red, silk stuffing of the box, as if waiting for him.

Once Harry was done reminiscing, he collected up the clothes and began to dress. The t-shirt and underwear fit well but Harry realised that he had grown considerably in height since his fifth year at Hogwarts, and the jeans squeezed tightly around his lower region. After a few stretching charms, the jeans fit nicely once again and Harry finished dressing, by tying up the laces of his shoes. When that was done, Harry picked up his wand again. It felt good to hold it once more. He was a bit rusty with his magic but he was sure that with a little practice, he could get back up to scratch.

When he was finished with the trunk, Harry considered leaving it behind but he decided that he probably wouldn't be able to put Draco's plan to use for quite a while, so he should take it with him so he could use the extra clothes. He would have to do without money for maybe about a week before he would get a chance to get his money out of his vault in Gringotts so he had to plan ahead.

Making sure he had everything he had come for, Harry left the attic, shutting the door behind him. Hedwig gave him another quick peck before she jumped up and flew back down to the kitchen. Before he followed her downstairs, Harry shuffled into Ron's room. It was stuffed with dirty clothes, magazines and Quidditch books, all tossed over the floor. The walls were still the same Chudley Cannon orange and Harry wondered how the team had been doing since their last match Harry had heard about.

When Harry managed to push past all the clutter in the doorway, he stopped in front of the small wardrobe. On opening it, Harry was knocked back by an avalanche of clothes. After being hit in the head numerous times by stray trainers, Harry got back to his feet and examined the contents of the wardrobe. He pulled away some more items of clothing until he spotted what he had been after. A pile of Hogwarts school books lay untidily at the bottom. The covers were creased and bent with what_ looked_ like use but Harry knew better. The books had been second-hand to start with and Ron had never taken care of his school books anyway.

Harry sorted through them until he found the sixth and seventh year books and flicked through the pages to make sure that none of them had been ripped out in Ron's carelessness. Once he had successfully and carefully looked through the books, and to his surprise, finding none of the pages missing, he placed them in his trunk.

He descended the stairs until he came to the second floor landing and decided to use the bathroom before he left. While he was washing his hands, Harry deliberated his reflection in the mirror.

He nearly didn't recognise himself. His cheeks were hollow but a layer of stubble covered his jaw. His eyes were tired and red and dark circles had gathered under them. Harry took a step back so he could see more of himself in the mirror. He was extremely thin and he could see his bones protruding under his skin. The clothes that had once been far too large now fit him well for his height, but the shirt was still a bit too large. Dudley had always been bigger than he.

After leaving the bathroom, Harry went down to the kitchen. He looked through the cupboards and picked out some food. He thought that if he only took one or two things from each cupboard, Mrs. Weasley might not notice that they were missing. When he had enough food to last him a few days, he packed them in the trunk. Harry then realised that he couldn't fly his broom while holding the heavy box so he pulled out his wand.

Shrinking the trunk proved to be harder than Harry had anticipated. He found that the spell was lost somewhere in his tired mind and it took him a few tries to get his wand to even produce a flicker. Once he had succeeded however, he slipped the miniature trunk into his jeans pocket.

Harry glanced at the clock on the wall which read around midday. The Weasleys would probably be back at any time so he picked up his belongings and exited the house.

Once outside, Harry walked back to the shadows of the trees before he mounted his broom. Prior to taking off, he looked back at the Burrow behind him. As he did this, the Weasleys came back from the Order meeting that they had just been to. They all looked a bit flustered and worried and he assumed that it was because of the news regarding himself. Harry was sad to see them so upset and know that he was the reason behind the trouble.

Harry sighed and turned away. It was time to go. This was it. Time to say goodbye. Giving one last look at the house, Harry pushed off the ground, and took to the skies.

Harry sat alone at the large table, sipping a hot mug of coffee, pouring over Ron's sixth year text book. He was reading it through for the second time and was mostly interested in the chapter on Apparition. He figured that it would become a handy tool for him to use in the near future, but first he had to learn.

When he had finished his drink, Harry got up from his seat and headed up the stairs to his room.

He had been staying at a muggle inn, near London for a few days and he had spent most of the time, in his room, reading up on what he had missed in school. He hadn't heard anything about anyone trying to find him yet but he guessed that that was because he didn't have any way of getting a magical paper.

Harry didn't have much time left to work on his magic before he had to put it to use. Once he learnt to Apparate, he could take the letter from the Ministry, which Draco had given him, and get his money.

Until then, he didn't have any way of paying for his room at the inn. He had already asked the owner if he could pay him at the end of the week when he would have enough cash, but he wasn't sure the owner would take too kindly if he had to ask to extend his stay, without paying in advance.

Once in his room, Harry practised apparating from one side to the other. It was a tricky business and took him a while to learn without injuring himself. At first he would stumble and fall over, annoying the couple staying on the floor beneath him immensely; however, he could now disappear and then reappear several feet from where he started.

Although the chapter about apparition in the text book was useful, it did not give the exact details about how to apparate which made the learning process even harder. There was only one short passage on how to apparate in the chapter as the rest was about how useful it was when trying to escape from tricky situations. Harry smiled to himself; he was certainly in a 'tricky situation'. The faster he learnt to perfect apparition, the quicker he could get away.

It had taken Harry three days of intense practice for him to feel comfortable apparating in his small room on the top floor of the inn. He had been in London for around a week and felt that he was slowly catching up on the important parts of the syllabus that he had missed from his sixth and seventh years. He could do most spells without speaking aloud as well as some complex charms and was able to transfigure his face so that he no longer looked like himself. However, all of this was very draining and Harry found himself shattered at the end of each day.

He was slowly gaining weight, although he still looked incredibly thin and gaunt, and was now able to do magic for longer periods of time without completely exhausting himself.

Another week past before he felt he was ready to use his magic to get into his vault in Gringotts. With the letter Draco had given him hidden safely in his pocket, Harry used his wand to change his appearance. After a couple of minutes, Harry stood in front of the mirror to get a look at himself. His shaggy jet black hair had been replaced and was now short and light brown in colour. His bright green eyes were a dark blue and his lightning bolt shaped scar was gone. Harry changed his face shape to help hide his identity as well as lengthening his nose, into a slightly upturned point, a bit like Draco's. Satisfied, Harry left the inn and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron.

The sky was a dull grey and the air felt like it was about to rain. Harry held his breath before entering the Leaky Cauldron. The pub was practically empty; a few people were sitting around the bar and there was a couple sat in the corner. Walking past all of them without trying to attract attention to himself, Harry made his way to the back door where he would find the entrance to Diagon Alley. Once outside Harry let out a sigh of relief; he had safely made it to Diagon Alley without being noticed.

Getting out his wand, Harry tapped the third brick from the left above the dustbin in the courtyard behind the pub. As the wall opened up, Harry smiled to himself. He was back where he belonged, in the wizarding world. Putting his wand in his robe pocket, Harry headed towards the bank.

Looking up at the building, Harry stood perplexed. He knew the building was large from all his memories of going in to see his own vault, but it was still a shock to see the bank up close again. He had remembered when he came with Hagrid for the first time and how happy he had felt when he realised that someone had loved him. His parents had made sure that Harry would have everything he ever needed if anything had happened to them. Harry just wished they could help him now.

It took a few moments for him to take in the sheer size of the building before him. It was a lot more intimidating now than it had in his memory. _'God, what am I doing? This is insane! I'm never going to pull this off!' _Harry looked over to his right, as someone pulled open the first set of doors to the bank. Harry peered inside quickly, and could just make out the words carved into the door.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn,_

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

Having read this, Harry gave a hard swallow. He then recalled something Hagrid had said to him all those years ago. _'Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it.'_ And maybe Harry was mad. He certainly felt it. He had to do this though. Mad man or not he had to, he knew, and nothing would stop him.

Harry looked around the large marble hall in awe. It really was a fascinating sight. The high up counter seemed to stretch on forever and it was lined with hundreds of goblins. Harry made his way up to the first available goblin he saw and smiled kindly up at him. The creature looked down at him with small beady eyes. Harry tried not to shrink back under the scrutiny, but stayed firm.

'Good morning. I am here on behalf of the Ministry.' Harry said confidently.

'What business do you require?' the goblin croaked back.

Harry gulped before replying. He had to stay clam otherwise people would start to notice his strange behaviour and that would cause great suspicion. 'I have a letter about collecting some money from a vault of one of the prisoners at Azkaban.' Harry slid the letter over the surface of the counter, where the goblin examined it. He shot a few glances at Harry, each time longer than the first and the boy became quite uncomfortable. Finally, after a couple of minutes, it felt like hours to Harry, the goblin grunted and handed the paper back to him.

'Follow me sir.'

As they walked down the long corridor, Harry could feel the sweat gathering in the palms of his hands which he kept firmly clenched.

Harry jumped when he heard a loud, shrill whistle and then the goblin spoke. 'If you would, sir.' Harry looked down to where the creature was indicating, and saw a track. A moment later a wooden cart suddenly appeared before them.

'Oh right, yes, of course.' Harry stuttered as he lowered himself into the cart. He watched as the goblin sat in front of him and seconds later the cart shot into life. As Harry had remembered it would, the 'vehicle' steered itself down the steeply slopping passage. Further and further they went, passed more and more vaults, deeper and deeper but it only took a few moments.

When the cart stopped, Harry was so caught off guard he couldn't stand at first and the goblin had to wait, not very patiently Harry noted, for him to find his balance and to make sure he wasn't about to lose his breakfast. Adding this to his nerves, Harry was sure he would pass out any second now.

'_Stay calm, Harry.' _he thought. _'You have to do this! Now, suck it up and be a man!'_

With that thought, Harry assertively got to his feet and joined the goblin, who was muttering something about 'bloody Ministry workers', outside the small door to his vault.

The goblin pulled out a tiny golden key from his pocket and slid it into the lock. Before he turned it however, he looked up at Harry with a sly smile.

'Should the Ministry really be going into Mr. Harry Potter's vault when the convict has only just escaped from Azkaban? It does not seem a very sensible thing to have Mr. Potter's money anywhere apart from locked in his vault, in the most secure building in Britain.' The goblin didn't hide his pride in what he said about Gringotts. Harry recalled Hagrid telling him about the security at the great bank when he had been eleven and it brought a smile to his face. He had missed the half giant a lot and his kind words would be much appreciated at this moment.

Once the goblin had finished gloating, the door was opened and Harry peered inside. It looked almost exactly as it had six years ago when he had last visited just before his third year at Hogwarts. Money was stacked high and it glistened in the low light. Harry gave a quick sigh at his progress so far but reminded himself not to get too cocky. There was a lot still to do before he was finally in the clear.

Pulling a coarse bag from his robes, he began to collect a portion of the gold and put it into the bag.

'Sorry sir, but you never answered my query. Do you not think it is a bad idea to be taking the money out now, with what has just happened?'

Harry kept his head down as he shrugged his shoulders. 'I'm just here to fill out orders. It's not my place to say.'

The goblin seemed satisfied with this answer for he did not comment on the subject again.

When Harry had all the money he was required to collect from the letter, the goblin closed and locked the door and they made their way back to the main hall. He thanked the goblin for his time but only received a small grunt of distaste, and left the building.

He quickly made his way to a small side street and pulled out his wand. It took him slightly longer to disguise his face than usual for he was tired and stressed. He didn't have as much control as he had earlier that morning. He was surprised that he had been able to keep the glamour up for so long. After a few waves from his wand, Harry had a new appearance. He had changed his hair to a dirty blonde and his eyes to a soft, pale blue. He didn't give much attention to his face shape for he wasn't going to go to the same goblin and didn't think he would be recognised. He did however; remove his glasses before he entered Gringotts again.

Walking up to another goblin, Harry lifted up his bag of money and quickly got down to business. He asked the small goblin to change half of his money into muggle money and his request was quickly fulfilled without any awkward questions. He was pretty sure he did receive some strange looks from the goblin who had served him first but it didn't matter now. He grabbed his money when the goblin had finished, thanked him and left with a slight skip in his step.

Harry quickly made his way back outside into the rain. He had done it. Checking his pocket to make sure the money was still there, Harry made his way down the steps towards Diagon Alley. The street was more crowded now even though it was raining. Children were running up and down the street, staring into windows and chatting animatedly to their parents. Harry supposed that they would be getting their school things ready for the start of term in September.

Making his way round the corner and into a deserted alleyway, Harry realised how drained he was. It was a struggle to keep his appearance as it was for much longer. He needed to concentrate in order to get away without being seen. As Harry turned into another street, he almost collided with someone. As Harry looked up to mumble an apology he realised who it was.

Ronald Weasley was the youngest boy in the Weasley family and Harry's old best friend. They had been in the same year at school and nearly inseparable until Harry was sent to Azkaban. Harry did not know if Ron thought he was guilty but he certainly didn't want to find out right now, especially in public.

Rain hit Harry's face as he looked up at Ron. He had not changed much in the three years that Harry had been in Azkaban. He stood tall, about a couple inches taller than Harry, and had a long freckled nose. It was in the split second that Harry had lost concentration, whilst looking at his old friend that he realised the spells on his face were wearing off and he was changing back to his normal self. The rain splattered onto his head and down his face as it changed, as if the water was carrying the spells away with it.

Praying that Ron had not seen his face change, Harry dashed down the alley.

Unfortunately, Ron, who was now training as an auror at the ministry, noticed the strange behaviour and began to follow. Harry ran down streets, turning down small cobbled roads whenever he could in order to get away.

Ron, who had got his wand out was firing hexes at Harry in the hopes of stopping him. Harry too got out his wand and began blocking as many spells as possible; however, as he turned another corner, Ron's Stinging hex hit him in the arm. Groaning in pain, Harry continued to run. He was now incredibly lost; he had never been down this part of Diagon Alley before. The streets were quiet and there were only a few shops. Harry guessed that the other buildings must be wizard houses.

After a while, Harry began to tire and felt himself slowing down. He stopped and leant against the wall for support. He needed to improve his fitness so that he would be able to do a lot of physical exercise as well as demanding magic. He felt himself slip down the wall about an inch or so as he tried to catch his breath. There was a nasty stabbing feeling in his arm where Ron's Stinging hex had hit him to try and stop him from getting away. Hoping that he had shaken Ron off, Harry remained leaning against the wall, panting.

Although he wanted to see his old friends, he did not want them to see him and he was sure that Ron, although not being the most observant, had guessed it was him. It turned very quiet. The only sound was the heavy rain smashing into the uneven ground. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself. There was no point in apparating when he was this tired; it would only cause himself to splinch.

There was a small _pop_ nearby which startled Harry. He immediately lowered his hand from his face and opened his eyes. Standing in front of him was a furious and rather intimidating looking Ron Weasley. Before Harry could do anything a fist met his nose. There was a nasty crunch on impact and Harry felt warm blood dripping down his face, mixing with the rain.

Harry's stomach dropped. So Ron believed that he was guilty? He was going to turn him into the ministry where they would send him back to Azkaban. He had been foolish to think that Ron might have thought that he was innocent. He needed to get away. Taking a firm grip of his wand, Harry spun on the spot and apparated. The last thing he heard was his friend call his name and a female shouting for Ron.

It was Hermione.

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Thanks for reading. Please review. If you review, i will love you! :)

The next chapter should be up soon!

**Princess Patterson**- I'm afraid that Ginny isn't in it for a while but i will try to get her in sooner for you. Harry may be angry at all his friends for abandoning him at the moment, but you know what Harry is like, he always forgives people!

**Nanchih- **I like the idea of Draco using the letter against Harry but i didn't actually think of that. Draco is trying to be good to Harry because he feels guilty about something that gets explained later on in the story.


	5. A Late Night Walk

Hello again! Thanks for all the reviews!

Please enjoy!

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Walking Free

_A Late Night Walk_

Harry had checked the newspaper everyday since the incident in Diagon Alley to see if it mentioned anything about him being in London; however, it had been a month since he had bumped into Ron by Gringotts and he had not seen or heard anything about it. Since, he had been more careful and had rarely set foot in the wizarding community.

He was sat in a soft armchair in the small living room of a flat he had purchased shortly after acquiring his money. The flat had two small bedrooms, an open plan kitchen/lounge and one bathroom. Harry had slowly begun to fill the place with furniture, giving it a more homely feel. He had placed pictures of his parents around the flat and had filled the bookcase with books from which he was studying.

Harry had now successfully completed the syllabus for his sixth year and was well past half way of his seventh year material. He already knew most of the defence against the darks arts work, which included patronuses, and the bits he did not know came very easily to him. Although some his spells were not perfect, Harry was satisfied.

Harry placed the potions book on the table and sighed. He had never been very good at potions, especially because of his teacher, professor Snape, who hated Harry from his first year because of a grudge he held against Harry's father, James, who had been in Snape's year at school. The potions in the book were complex and without the right equipment, Harry could not even attempt to make them.

Harry slowly got up from the armchair but a searing pain from his scar caused him to fall back into the soggy seat. The pain was so immense that Harry felt it take over his body.

_First he saw black. A cold darkness, his skin crawled, an almost painful feeling. Then a laugh. A long, hard cackle. Harry cringed, the laugh then turned into a hiss that faded into the never ending shadows. The laugh died on Harry's lip, but he had not been the only one laughing._

_He turned to a dark figure across the now candle lit room. Its face was covered by a white mask and body framed in a long black cloak._

'_We think we have found the boy, my Lord.' It said._

'_Good, good.' Another laugh followed before Harry spoke again. 'We will attack tonight. What is the location of the boy?'_

'_We believe he is somewhere in a muggle town, on the outskirts of muggle London. We still do not know the exact location of his residence, however, we have see him often in the area and are quite sure he will come tonight. Lucius believes he might know the location of the boy's dwellings. The boy has been taking regular trips around the town. Especially in the evenings.' The Death Eater seemed pleased with his information, however, his brow furrowed as he spoke up again. 'We must be careful though, surely the boy will have his allies?'_

'_What do you think the point of sending him to Azkaban was, Rodolphus?' Voldemort was seething. 'It was not only to get him out of the way but to turn his precious Order against him. Now he has no one to go to. Without their protection he can be more easily…disposed of.'_

'_Oh, yes, my Lord. I-I forgot. Yes…but…but what about the Aurors? Surely they would notice such a large magical disturbance in a muggle area?' _

_Harry was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness, which was not his own._

'_I have already sorted out this inconvenience. The Aurors are a bit caught up at the moment, thanks to Lucius. I don't think they will be much of a bother to us tonight.' _

'_Are you sure of their absence__, my Lord? The Order, I mean. ' the first voice spoke up again._

_The silence in the room was heavy and thick. Harry felt a slow anger build in him as he turned to glare at the Death Eater in front of him._

'_What do you mean? Are you doubting your Dark Lord?' Harry said in a slow, smooth voice that made the man quiver. _

'_N-no sir.' The man shrank back as he stuttered. 'I just thought that the Order would come to fight us, despite what they think their saviour has done.'_

_The Dark Lord thought about this a moment before smiling. 'I do not fear of their presence. The boy will come and I will catch him. He has no chance. Not even that old fool Dumbledore would save him now.'_

As Harry laughed, the darkness lifted and he found himself back in his living room, crumpled on the floor.

Gasping for breath, Harry bought his mind out of Voldemort's. There was going to be an attack tonight. An attack on him. He had to be prepared.

The attack had been on Harry's mind for the entire day. After hours of going over the different possibilities, Harry decided that there was no way he could inform anyone of the pending attack. He was truly on his own.

Harry looked up at the clock. It was nearly ten in the evening. He figured this time was as good as any. The attack was probable in full succession, but the real action wouldn't happen until he, himself, arrived on the scene. He was, after all, what everyone was after. Again. Some things never change.

Grabbing his invisibility cloak and wand from his bedroom, Harry left his flat, locking the door behind him_. _Not knowing exactly where Voldemort and his followers were waiting, Harry slung the cloak over his shoulders and set off for his usual, late night walk through the park.

Harry looked around. It was eerily quiet. The only noise was from the rustling leaves as the wind blew through the branches. He hadn't see anyone so far but suspected that they were near. Harry just had to wait until they showed.

Harry then began to worry. What if the Death Eaters didn't appear until they saw Harry? They might be waiting till he made an appearance before they attacked. It was strange. Harry was sure that the Order would have found out about the attack someway, and that they would have been there, fighting. Maybe they still didn't know. Maybe he should have informed them of Voldemort's plans. Harry was doubtful that he could stop Voldemort now without coming forth and ending up being seen.

Still standing under the cover of the dark trees and hidden by his father's cloak, Harry looked around him slowly. There was no one to be seen. He tried to listen carefully to see if he could hear any spells being cast nearby but alas, nothing could either be seen nor heard in the warm September night.

He was alone. Or so he thought.

Only moments later a loud crack sounded, just metres from Harry. It was then followed by another and another. The night air was filled with cracks and bangs for what seemed, an eternity. Harry staggered back into the shelter of the trees and watched closely.

As Harry had guessed, at least twenty Death Eaters were standing together, not far from his hiding spot. They seemed to be rather flustered and stressed. He was sure he could also see the greasy hair and large, hooked nose of his old potions teacher. Harry then caught onto two or three voices from the crowd.

'Where is he?' one growled.

'He was supposed to be here.' spoke another.

'Damn boy!'

'He wasn't at his house when we went just minutes ago. He has to be around somewhere!'

'He obviously knew we were coming. Maybe that's why he left his house and hasn't shown here.'

The cloaked figures then started to move further away and it became harder to hear so well. He only managed snippets of the continued conversation, but he could tell that the Death Eaters were still at a loss.

'…..the Dark Lord….on his way…..kill' these few words were the most often repeated throughout the group. Voldemort must be coming shortly and Harry had to be ready.

Harry jumped when he heard another loud crack and a tall figure appear. It was shortly followed by at least ten more. He looked to his left and saw the members of the Order. Some of them he recognised. The first to arrive had been Dumbledore. As Harry looked, more and more began to appear. Harry recognised most of them but among them was Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks, most of the Weasley family, including Ron, Hermione and Moody. He could also see another familiar face. He felt a strange kind of relief when he spotted Remus Lupin among the group. Harry had missed Remus a lot. Even when Sirius had been alive, Harry had thought of the werewolf as another father figure. He was kind, caring and had always been there for him.

Harry was almost surprised when another hooded figure emerged from the darkness. As he came closer, Harry could start to make out the creatures face. A small smirk was set upon the think lips and his red eyes peered out from under the hood of the cloak. Voldemort looked around and smirked when he saw the members of the Order all gathered together. The Death Eaters were soon surrounding his back, wands raised.

'I see you have come prepared.' his cold hiss of a voice whispered, directed at Dumbledore.

'I believe we are ready. Are you Tom?'

Voldemort laughed aloud and soon the whole huddle of Death Eaters had joined in. Voldemort then raised a hand to silence them and the air was filled with nothing but the whisperings of the wind among the trees.

Voldemort slipped a hand into a pocket in his cloak and pulled out his wand. He held it up and pointed it at Dumbledore.

'Where is the boy?' he snarled across the park to Dumbledore.

'We do not know of his whereabouts. We have not had any contact with him since he escaped.' Voldemort frowned. He did not believe this was true.

'Liar! You have taken him! Where is he?' The Dark Lord shouted. 'Where is the BOY?'

Harry then stepped forward and removed his cloak.

Voldemort and Dumbledore's eyes turned towards him as he walked out from the trees to face the Dark Lord.

A look of surprise flashed across Voldemort's face but it was gone as soon as it appeared. Harry had still seen it though.

'Hello, Harry. It is good to see you again. How long has it been? Three years? How was Azkaban for you? Enjoy your stay.'

Harry tried not to let this affect him but he found it harder than he remembered not to let Voldemort's words get to him.

Harry quickly glanced around and noticed that the Order members had begun to fight the Death Eaters. He then refocused his gaze on the now approaching Dark Lord before him.

Voldemort took a step forward, now only a few feet away from Harry. He had not changed much since Harry had last seen him; his red eyes still held a look of cruel happiness and his nose remained snake like.

Harry did not flinch as the wizard approached him but remained still; his wand pointed at Voldemort and his green eyes fixed on the red ones.

Harry saw Voldemort's thin lips curve into a small smile before he felt his scar burst open for the second time that day; however, the pain was so much worse than before. He felt as if his skull was being stabbed repeatedly in the same place. Waves of pain hit him as he felt an animal rise inside him, wrapping itself around his insides. It felt exactly as it had three years ago, in the atrium of the ministry of magic, when Voldemort had tried to possess him.

Harry dropped his wand as he became aware of a hand squeezing his upper arm. A cold whisper met Harry's ear.

'Look at what they've done to you, Harry. They sent you away and when you come back, they desert you. Look at what you have become. You could be great you know. You could become a great wizard. Don't let your old friends stop you. It's so simple. One spell and you could be free from them. It's so easy, Harry. Just two words.'

A fire spread through him as Voldemort had grabbed Harry's arm. He felt Voldemort turning him round to face the Order; however, in the darkness, he could only make out Dumbledore. The pain was so intense that Harry could not suppress the groan of agony that escaped his lips. As it slipped out of his mouth, he heard the voice again.

'Look at him, Harry. Remember what he did to you. You can kill him, you know. It is so simple. I will even let you use my wand.'

Screaming for release inside, Harry let out another cry. Water began to seep out of his now red eyes as he looked pleadingly at his old headmaster. His legs began to tremble.

Before Harry could even begin to control his body, he heard a loud spell being cast in his direction. The grip on his arm was suddenly released as Voldemort defended himself against Dumbledore's spell and Harry dropped to the ground.

Harry slumped down onto his stomach and breathed deeply. His scar still seared with pain but he could once again take control of his own mind.

Gasping for breath, Harry grabbed his wand from the ground beside him and began to aim endless hexes at the Death Eaters who were now surrounding the Order. Voldemort had moved away from Harry and was duelling with Dumbledore. Harry stood and ran towards the commotion. A few Death Eaters saw his approach and turned to fight him off.

Harry managed to dodge or shield himself from most of the curses but a few cut and scrapped against his body. As Harry was busy defending himself against at least three of Voldemort's followers, he didn't notice when another appeared from his right. He was so occupied that he almost didn't feel it when the cutting curse hit his chest, slicing his skin. Harry staggered back, not turning his back on the Death Eaters but quickly made his way towards the trees once more.

Putting a hand to his chest, he took a few deep breaths before running in the opposite direction to where another group of the masked figures were surrounding his old school mates. Harry quickly set about hexing and cursing in all directions. Only moments later Harry heard a loud crack. Looking to the left Harry realised he could no longer see Voldemort. He had vanished.

Harry heard several _pops_ as the Death Eaters vanished. He stood clutching a tree, panting, as he tried to steady himself. He felt a warm substance flowing down his stomach and realised that there was also a large cut across his abdomen. Placing his hand over the wound to staunch the blood flow, he began to move away from the fight scene.

There were numerous aurors and order members still there. He was sure some of them had noticed him and were hanging around to try and find him. Walking as quickly as he could without causing the wound to bleed more, Harry left the park and turned into a road lit by a large street lamp.

Pausing under the lamps rays, Harry lifted his shirt to get a closer look at the damage; however, his inspection was cut short when a figure turned down the street, facing Harry.

Harry's heart speed up as if it was trying to jump out of his chest. Standing in front of him, barely ten feet away, was Albus Dumbledore.

'The area is littered with ministry workers; it was foolish of you to come tonight, Harry.'

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Your reviews have been great! Thanks! Please keep reviewing so i know if you like it and what you think!

**Jedi Knight 3- **Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to wait and see. :)

**Slytherin66-** Maybe the Auror department was desperatly running out of people! I love Ron!

**Princess Patterson- **Harry and Draco are not friends just yet but Draco is trying to make amends. As for Ron and Hermione, Harry may forgive and forget but you never know! I'm glad you are enjoying it! Please review:)

Next chapter should be up soon!


	6. Scars

Hi people! Sorry i'm a bit late in updating, the internet wouldn't work for the past three days! Argg!

Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!

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Walking Free

_Scars_

Harry heard a set of footsteps approaching as he watched his old headmaster. Panic set in as he looked into the piercing blue eyes that he had been so accustomed to during his school career. He did not know what to do. If he apparated, he was in danger of splinching himself or making his wounds worse; however, if he stayed, he was sure that the ministry would take him back to Azkaban. As the footsteps became louder, the approaching figure spoke. Although Harry could not see who it was as they were around the corner, he had a pretty good feeling he knew who the speaker was.

'Albus' he spoke. 'Did you see the boy?'

Silence was his only answer. Harry starred with a mixture of fear and confusion at Dumbledore. The elderly wizard turned to Harry and smiled briefly before turning back to Snape.

'No, Severus, I did not. He is gone. It is time to leave.' Harry heard a low huff from around the corner and then the silence resumed. Dumbledore took a few steps forward but Harry quickly stumbled back.

'Have no fear, Harry; I have no intention of harming you.' Harry's heart clenched as the strong blue eyes locked with his. The trust that Harry had once had for the man before him had all but evaporated and he no longer saw comfort in the man's words. He was nothing to him. A ghost, a ghost from his past that didn't seem to want to be forgotten. Harry was stuck, in an unending spiral of confusion and mistrust. He was all alone.

With nothing more to be said, Harry pulled out his wand and disapparated.

Remus panted as he ran, Harry's cloak in his hand. '_Where is he?' _he thought. _'He could have gone anywhere! How am I going to find him now?' _Just as Remus was about to stop and give up, he noticed a figure slumped against a wall, clutching his middle. _'Harry!'_

Without thinking, Lupin called out to the boy. 'Harry! Harry, it's me! Harry!'

The figure looked up as Remus approached. Just as Remus was about to reach out to him, the figure shot up and violently shoved him in the chest.

'What d'jur want mate?'

At first Remus didn't understand what had happened until he was shoved up against a wall. 'What jur want. What jur bothering me for?' This was defiantly not Harry. The man's breath was heavy with alcohol and smelt foul.

The drunken man had his hands tightly gripped around Remus' biceps and he glared angrily up at him. 'Jur want tur fight? Well do jur?' the man shouted as he shook Remus by the shoulders.

'Um…ur…n...no thank you sir. I...I was just looking for someone.' Remus stammered quickly. He needed to find Harry and fast. Remus was pretty sure that Harry was injured and he probably didn't know of many healing spells. Regaining control of the situation, Remus harshly shoved the man away and glared at him. 'Please leave me alone! I need to find someone quickly so if you will please excuse me, I must be on my-'

'Hey, hey, easy tiger, there's no need to be rushin' off like that. Why don'cha come with me? We could have some fun. How about that, my pretty boy?' The older man reached out and began to stroke Remus down his sides.

Remus was feeling uncomfortable and really rather insulted. The man was breathing heavily down his neck and began to nibble slightly on his right ear. There was nothing left for him to do. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the man's head.

'C'mon now, no need to get violent. I'm only tryin' to have some fun with'cha. Sticks can be dangerous, you know.'

'Oh, you have no idea.'

Dusting his hands down his coat, Remus left the drunken man drooping over a low brick wall. With a sigh, he set off down the street, once again in search of Harry.

The night air was still warm but that didn't stop the chill from running up Remus' back. For some reason the thought of maybe seeing Harry again was somewhat worrying. What if he didn't want to talk to Remus, didn't want his help? Harry might still be angry with the Order for not helping him. Remus knew he would be if he was in Harry's situation.

Remus continued down the long street, hands in his pockets, humming slightly to himself. He felt like he had walked for hours. The street seemed to stretch on for miles into the darkness of the summer night.

As he finally got to the end of the road, he turned left into a small brightly lit ally way. The walls of the houses on either side towered above him. Remus looked up to the sky, as if in search of stars. He smiled when he saw a large cluster of gleaming spots way overhead. He felt somewhat warmed by the sight. It gave him a sense of hope. However, his grin was soon replaced with a frown when the noticed the lights move. It was then that he realised that it was just a plane.

Grumbling to himself he looked back down to the road ahead of him and saw a figure.

Taking a few steps closer, Remus observed the person before him. It was defiantly male. The dark hair fluttered in the slight breeze and Remus could quite clearly see a pair of round glasses that did not sit quite squarely on the man's nose. It was Harry. He was sure of it.

Then Remus saw the blood. It soaked through the boy's shirt and dripped down to his the belt of his trousers. Harry was fumbling with a house key with one hand, while the other was gripping at his chest.

Remus ran forward just as Harry pushed the door open and slipped inside. The door was about to click shut when Remus shoved against it and fell through the opening, onto Harry.

Harry's body was shaking as Remus pulled the boy up into his arms. A layer of sweat coated the boy's face and the cuts over his chest seemed to have finally clotted, as the blood had all but stopped.

'What are you doing here?' Harry crocked.

Remus held him away from him and looked into Harry's face. 'Harry, I need to heal your wounds before they become infected.'

Harry nodded but didn't back down. 'Yeah, okay but why are you here?' he asked again.

Remus sighed and gently led Harry into the living room. Making the boy lay down; Remus lifted his shirt and gasped. Dried blood masked his chest and the cuts were already dirty. Harry had obviously lost a lot of blood but Remus was more shocked by the multiple scars over Harry's body.

They were not new however. They were all completely healed and by the looks of it, a few years old.

'Harry?' Remus asked as he brushed a dark bang out of the raven's eye. 'When did you get all these scars?'

Harry's eyes fluttered closed then opened again but not without a glazed over look about them. 'Hn?' he muttered. 'What? Oh um…' He scrunched up his eyes, as if trying to remember something from a long time ago. Then, suddenly, he sat up and grabbed Remus by the arm, a look of sheer panic in his green orbs.

'D-don't let them get me, Moony.' Harry voice was filled with fear. Complete and utter fear. It was almost child like and it terrified Remus. 'Make it stop, Moony, make it stop!' His body slumped forward in a heap and Remus clung to him, rubbing small, soothing circle on his back.

Harry then began to cough. It wracked through his whole body, shaking him uncontrollably. Remus put his arms around him and helped him to sit up straight. When Harry fell back into the sofa, Remus notice a trail of blood dripping from his mouth.

'Harry we need to talk.' Remus said in a low whisper, as he fidgeted in his seat. Harry was sat opposite him in the small living room. The only thing that answered Remus was the ticking of the clock. He had healed Harry's wounds with some healing spells but he could see that Harry was exhausted. His eyelids were dropping and his head was flopping forward and back as he tried to keep himself from sleep.

'I know that we have a lot to sort through but I just want you to know that you don't have to fear me. I do not want to harm you in anyway or send you back to prison. I'm here to help you.' Remus ran a hand through his hair and tentatively put his cup of tea back down on the coffee table. 'Harry a lot has….Harry? Harry are you awake?'

Remus got his answer soon enough when quiet snoring filled the room. Remus lifted himself from his seat and approached Harry on the sofa. He slid one arm under the raven's legs and another around his shoulders. Remus pulled the boy to his chest and began to make his way to Harry's bedroom. Placing Harry on the bed he quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

In the living room once again, Remus settled down onto the sofa and lay down. It was only then that he realised how tired he was and within minutes, he was fast asleep.

The morning light poured in through the window. Harry sat up slowly, gasping at the pain in his chest. Carefully he slipped off the bed and searched his room for clothes.

Everywhere he looked his clothes and other belongings lay scattered over the floor. The draws to his wardrobe had all been pulled out and most were broken.

Harry rummaged through a pile of clothes and found a t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. Pulling them on, he trudged through the flat to the kitchen.

To say Harry was startled to see Remus Lupin standing in his kitchen, holding a cup of tea and cooking bacon on his grill was a bit of an understatement.

Harry gave a small yelp of surprise which alerted Remus to his presence.

'Oh, Harry. You're wake. Good. Would you like some tea?'

Harry nodded slowly and lowered himself into one of he kitchen seats. Remus placed a mug of steaming tea on the table and sat down opposite the boy.

'Do you remember anything from last night?' Remus asked casually.

'Um…yeah, bits of it.' Harry said as he took a sip of his drink. 'But, why is this place such a mess?'

Remus sighed. 'Death Eaters. They found out where you were living and well…' Remus indicated the mess in the house with a wave of his hand.

They both lapsed into silence. When they had both eaten, Remus stood and entered the living room. When Harry didn't follow, the werewolf called to him.

Sitting down on the sofa, Harry watched his ex-professor. The man stared back at the boy then rubbed a hand over his tired face.

'Why are you here?'

Remus looked up and took a deep breath. 'I'm here to…talk to you.'

'About what?' Harry asked.

'I…I just need to know one thing, Harry. Did you…did you do it?' Remus' voice sounded pained in a way. It was clear he dreaded the answer to the question that Harry didn't even know how to answer.

'I don't know. I don't remember much.' Harry said quietly.

'Tell me, Harry.' Remus said reassuringly. 'Tell me everything you can. I need to know.'

'It was dark. It was always dark. At least, I think it was. I remember I could hear voices sometimes. They weren't very clear but I could still hear them. Then there was…there was…something, and then…and then I saw you. I saw all of you. And Ginny, she was hurt. Everyone was calling out to her.' Harry grabbed his head as it roared in pain. 'After that, things are a bit fuzzy but I can remember the trial. They didn't let me defend myself. Although, I don't think I could have even if they let me. I don't remember much. It was just…dark.'

Remus nodded, getting up from his seat and sat down next to Harry. 'Is that it?' he asked calmly. 'Do you remember anything else?'

Harry shook his head. No, not at the moment.'

This brought Remus' thoughts back to the night before when Harry had cried out for help. Remus could only guess that some of Harry's memories were starting to come back to him.

After giving the boy some strange muggle pill called 'paracetamol'from Harry's medicine cupboard, Remus began to clear the house up. A lot of the furniture was broken but most of the mess was simply stray objects thrown about the floor.

As Remus tidied the living room, Harry lay down and waited for the pain killers to take affect. It was times like this that he wished he was better at Potions. However, even if the he had mastered the skill that his mother had possessed, he still didn't have any of the right equipment to brew anything.

'Remus?' Harry's quiet voice pulled the man from his cleaning.

'Yes?'

'What happened to everyone while I was in prison?'

Remus bit his lip in thought. 'Hmm, that could take some time to discuss. Everyone is doing different things these days.'

'Ok, well how about you? What have you been doing?'

Remus sat down and looked deeply into Harry's eyes. 'A lot has change Harry. This might be a bit of a surprise but I got married about two years ago.'

Harry raised an eyebrow, and then smiled. 'That's great. Who to?'

Remus blushed, a small smile on his lips. 'Nymphadora Tonks.'

Harry let out a laugh that he had meant to hold back.

'What? Why do you laugh?' Remus asked, a little set back

Harry continued to laugh and waved a hand in front of him. 'No, no it's nothing. I just never imagined you two would get together. I mean, you're just both so different.'

'Yeah, I guess we are.' Remus said as he also felt the corner of his lips lift up into a wide grin. Then he remembered something else. 'Um…yeah, and we err …Wehaveason!' he added rather quickly.

Harry's laughter stopped immediately. He stared at his old friend then a wide smile graced his face. 'That's amazing, Moony. I'm really happy for you both. What's his name?'

Remus grinned back, relieved that Harry hadn't started laughing again. 'He's called Teddy, after Dora's father. He was killed by Death Eaters around a year ago. He's just like her, Harry. He's a metamorphoses. He's so beautiful.' Harry leant over and patted the man on the shoulder, glad Remus was finally happy again.

'So, when can I meet him?'

'Soon, I hope.' Harry gave a nod and sank back further into the tired material of the sofa.

For the rest of the day, the two mainly talked in the living room. Remus did most of the talking as told Harry about what everyone had gone on to do after leaving Hogwarts and also filled him in on the latest news involving Voldemort.

'Voldemort has kept rather quiet since you escaped from Azkaban, until now that is.' Remus said, relaxing back into the sagging chair. 'Before you escaped however, he wreaked havoc in the Ministry. The amount of missing people and deaths increased and he planned many attacks. The Aurors had been having a really difficult time trying to stop him.'

'Hmm, I'm sorry I wasn't there to help out.'

Remus shrugged. 'What were you to do? You were locked up in that disgusting place.' As he said this, a thought struck the man. 'Harry, how _did_ you get out of there anyway. I've been so worried about you that I forgot to ask.'

Harry fidgeted in his seat, looking down at his lap. 'Malfoy.' he muttered almost inaudibly.

Remus didn't speak. Harry didn't look up. They were quiet for a while longer before Remus spoke up.

'Well, that's a bit of a surprise. How exactly did he help you?'

Harry finally looked into the man's face and smiled sheepishly. 'He gave me a portkey. I'm still not sure why, but he did. He said something about 'knowing what his father did'. Anyway, I waited for a while in my cell, and then…the next thing I know, I'm lying in a big muddy field.'

Remus smiled gently and asked, 'What happened then? Where did you go?'

'Well, the field was in Ottery St. Catchpole, where the Weasley's live, so I went into their house while they were out and found all my stuff strangely enough. My trunk was up in the attic with all my things from school in it.'

Remus nodded in understanding. 'That would make sense.'

Harry frowned in confusion. 'What do you mean?'

'After you were arrested, I gave all you belongings to the Weasley twins. They didn't believe that you were guilty and were happy to look after your things until we figured out how to prove you were innocent.'

'Well you didn't try very hard.' Harry muttered darkly. 'I was in there for three years. How much time did you need?'

'Harry, we did our best. With there only being a few of us who believed you were not guilty, there wasn't much we could do. We really did try. The whole of the Wizarding World was against you and being a Werewolf, I didn't get much of a say in anything.'

Harry sighed. 'Okay, sorry. I'm just still angry that everyone turned their backs on me. I still don't fully understand what I was accused of doing. I don't remember killing anyone.'

'That's because you didn't and we are going to prove it.'

* * *

Yay! Remus is the best! I love him!

Please review!

**aNimeINvasion93- **Sorry i do it wrong :) I just find it easier and faster to use ' ' instead of " ". Sorry if you find it annoying. Please keep reviewing.

**Allen Pitt**- Sorry if it is unclear. I hope this chapter clears it up a bit. Just in case, here are all the people who know he is innocent: Remus, the twins, Dumbledore (he only just found out) and Voldemort and a few of his cronies. I hope this helps! :) For the Australia thing, Harry wouldn't just move away i don't think. He still is unsure as to why he was sent to Azkaban so he wants to prove he is innocent, not just run away.

**pinkyroo- **Yay! I'm glad you like it! Please keep reviewing. :)

**Slytherin66- **Poor Ron. He can be a bit of an idiot but he's not that bad! Though Harry is a bit weak and worthless anyway. Poor soul! Please review!

**Santa 1- **Albus is pretty much on Harry's side but not much is said about it for a while. I'm sure he'll pull through for Harry in the end! Review! :)

**Princess Patterson-** Yeah, Voldemort wanted to get Harry so he could kill him and eventually defeat the whole of the light side.

Thanks so much for all the reviews! I love them.

Next chapter should be soon. I hope!


	7. Tonks, Twins and Trouble

Hi guys! Sorry i'm a bit late on updating, i'll try to be faster next time!

Please enjoy.

* * *

Walking Free

_Tonks, Twins and Trouble_

The wind danced through Remus' hair as he sat down next to his wife in their small garden. The October sun shone brightly down on the small family as they enjoyed the last of the good weather until next summer.

Teddy, who was sleeping in his mother's arms, looked peaceful and content. Remus smiled to himself. He had never imagined that he could ever have a family of his own when he was younger. It seemed impossible. Unobtainable. And he sure as hell wasn't about to let it go. Not for anything.

'Tonks?'

'Yeah?' she replied, keeping her eyes on her sleeping son.

'Have you … erm … I mean the aurors, have they seen Harry at all?'

She looked up and studied her husbands face, curiosity in her eyes. 'No, no one has seen him. It's as if he's vanished. Well, some order members think they saw him the night of that attack a couple weeks ago, but I don't think anyone knows if it was definitely him.' She paused in thought before adding, 'Why?'

'Oh, I was just wondering'

There was silence for a moment before Remus decided to tell her.

'I saw him.' He said, keeping his gaze forward at a robin as it picked for a worm in the soil.

'Who?' Tonks replied distantly. She obviously wasn't paying much attention to anything but the baby in her arms.

'Harry.' He turned to look at her after no reply came. 'He's not guilty,' he continued, realising that she was not going to say anything, 'We talked for a while and he seems okay, but I know he's suffering. He needs to be with people who love him and I think we are the only real family he has left.'

'Remus, I don't understand what you're talking about.' Despite slight annoyance niggling in the back of his mind, the werewolf smiled; glad he now had his wife's attention.

'Harry, he needs us.'

'What for? Remus, just tell me what you're on about already.'

'I've been to see him, love. I know he's not guilty and we have to convince everyone else. I still can't believe they all just turned against him like that. How could they actually believe Harry would do something so vulgar?'

Remus felt a comforting hand rest on his knee. He placed his hand over Tonks' small fingers. 'What are you trying to say Remus?'

'I've asked Harry if he would like to come stay with us for a while.'

The hand in his own froze its soothing movements and quickly slipped from his own. 'Tonks, please just listen to what I have to say…'

'I don't think that's a good idea. I just…don't… It's not that I think he actually killed those people and I certainly can't ever imagine him hurting Ginny in any way but…'

'…but?' Remus questioned.

Tonks sighed. 'We have a baby, Remus.'

'And?'

'And, we need to take care of him. All our attention should be on him. We don't have the money or the room to house another person and you never know Remus, Harry could be…you know…' she trailed off.

'Dangerous?'

'I know it sounds stupid. Harry would never do something like that, but I'm just not comfortable with it.' She paused, taking a deep breath. 'Are you sure he doesn't have anywhere else to go?'

Remus gave a nod, 'He does. It's a small flat near the Docklands in London,' he began, 'but it was ransacked by death eaters and I'm not happy with him staying there. We put protective charms around the place but they are not as strong as I would like them to be. It's still not safe.'

'I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know you want to help, but I'm not comfortable with it. Not right now, at least.'

Harry had never really minded doing household chores. He had been forced to do them when he lived with the Dursley's and although he didn't enjoy doing them, he found them a good way to relax. Looking out of the window and onto the road whilst cleaning the dishes, Harry noticed a group of people standing at the corner of the road. The four wizards had lit their wands, allowing them to see each other clearly in the darkening sky.

Harry took a step closer to the window and opened it, hoping to hear what they were saying. As a gust of wind blew through the open window, Harry could just make out the voices.

'And she reckons he lives here?' The tallest figure spoke as he looked around.

'Yes, Tonks was dead sure it was here but I don't think she was supposed to tell us. You know what Tonks is like! She can't keep a secret for more then five seconds.' The group laughed at the girl's comment.

He couldn't believe it. Tonks had let slip his address to Ron and Hermione. He guessed that they had come here to find him and may be hand him into the ministry. Shrugging off that thought, Harry decided to take action. Watching the group for a couple more minutes, Harry realised that the other two men were Fred and George, Ron's older brothers.

Grabbing a jacket, his wallet and his wand, Harry closed his front door and made his way downstairs to the entrance to the block of flats. As Harry opened the door, the cold October air hit him and he was glad that he had put on his jacket. As he walked to the road, he noticed the group had stopped talking and had begun to watch him. As he made his way to the street lamp, he checked his watch; eight thirty. The supermarket would still be open. He could go there, pretend to buy something but at the same time observe his old friends. Remus had told him that not everyone had been against him. He wondered if the group believed his innocence. Harry thought it was unlikely seeing as he was accused of torturing the Weasley's youngest and only daughter.

Making his way down the street, Harry made sure his path led him under a row of street lamps. He wanted the wizards to follow him. He wanted to get them off of his trail for now, for in a few days he hoped he would be staying with Remus. If he led them into a shop, he could slip out without them noticing. Harry wasn't sure if this was a very productive little trip. He mainly just wanted to mess with them.

Turning down another street, Harry lifted his wand and shot a spell over his shoulder.

'Ouch!' Harry heard Ron's muffled cry. 'I swear this lamp wasn't here a second ago.'

'Quiet, Ronald.' Hermione hissed.

Harry chuckled. He had a few more tricks like that up his sleeve.

A few minutes later, Harry found himself at the entrance to the local supermarket. On entering he picked up a basket and disappeared down an isle. He peered through a gap in one of the shelves, catching sight of the four wizards, three of whom looked rather confused and awestruck. Hermione pointed to their right and beckoned them to follow her. Harry quickly shot another spell. It hit an unattended bucket of water, for washing the floors, over in front of the group. Hermione and the twins managed to jump out of the way in time, but Ron, who was too busy eyeing the food on the shelves, slipped in the water and landed on his back. The twins didn't bother to hold back their peels of laughter while Hermione covered her eyes with her hand in dismay.

'_Strike two'_ thought Harry.

Grinning to himself, Harry moved down the isle, filling his basket with random foods. He needed to make it look as if he didn't realise they were following him. Turning down another isle, Harry heard one of the twins.

'Grated cheese? Merlin, how lazy are these people?'

Harry laughed. He had forgotten how little the wizarding community knew about muggles. Turning his head slightly, Harry noticed Ron and Hermione enter the same isle as him. Harry suddenly became very interested in the different types of tinned tuna available.

'Don't look at him, Ronald. Honestly!'

Placing a can of tuna into his basket and heading towards the check out, Harry flicked his wand in Ron and Hermione's direction. A small gust of wind hit Ron straight in the face, causing him to fall back and hit the shelf of tinned tomatoes.

'Argh! What the…?' Ron noticed Hermione's stern look. 'I didn't do anything! All of a sudden I just, I don't know, fell into these' he announced pointing at the mass of tinned tomatoes that were now rolling on the floor.

'Get up!' She hissed in reply and hurriedly moved away as a rather frustrated member of staff came over to clean up the mess Ron had made.

Harry quickly paid for his purchases and briskly walked out of the shop. As he neared the automatic doors, he heard Hermione scalding Ron for his carelessness. Turning to get another look at his friends, Harry noticed the twins eyeing him. Smiling at them and with a small nod of the head, Harry left the shop and made his way home. It was then that he realised how lonely he had been without their company. He missed them. Even though they had not believed him, some part of him wanted them back in his life.

Having made his way home, Harry put away the shopping and sat on the sofa with his head in his hands. What if Ron, Hermione and the twins had decided to follow him home? He didn't really want to speak to them, especially Ron and Hermione. Deciding that he wouldn't put it passed them to come knocking on his door, he sighed and stood up. Making sure he had his wand, Harry made his way out of the flat and apparated into the centre of London.

Appearing with a _pop _down a small side alley, Harry walked towards the busy shopping area. There was a striking difference between here and the small area he had been to earlier that evening when Ron, Hermione, Fred and George had been following him. Here, the street was lit with bright lights that stretched across the entire length of the shopping area. The hustle and bustle of people here made him feel more inconspicuous.

As he walked up the street, Harry took in all of the large buildings that towered over him. He had only been here once before, when he was a young boy and the Dursley's were forced to take him shopping with them as Mrs Figg, his elderly babysitter, was away. He frowned as he remembered finding out that Mrs Figg was actually a squib and was sent by Dumbledore to look over him as a child. He wondered how many other things Dumbledore and the Order had kept from him.

It was whilst he was musing about his past when he noticed a figure walk right up to his side, falling into step with him.

'Do not look at me. Keep your face forward and just listen to what I have to say.' The voice was strangely familiar. Harry was about to ask who he was when the person spoke again, 'Do not speak. Pretend you do not know me. You must be careful. You are being watched.' It was then that Harry realised who it was.

Draco Malfoy continued to speak, 'You are lucky to be alive. After that fight a week ago, the Dark Lord was livid. He is now determined to destroy the auror department and wipe out the Order of the Phoenix. That is why he has planned another attack. Its purpose ultimately is to get you and you know what that would mean.'

Harry knew only too well; death. He did as the boy asked and pretended to be gazing into the various shop windows.

'I'm glad you came to your senses and finally put up wards around your house. I suppose the mutt helped you with that.' It was not a question but Harry growled in response.

'The attack is planned to take place in late November. Do _not_ go. Get away from here. You will be found otherwise.'

And with that the man disappeared leaving a rather confused Harry in the middle of the crowded street.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Please keep reviewing, it's nice to know what you think.

**Allen Pitt-** As you can see in this chapter, Harry is trying to find somewhere else to stay. Hopefully, this will keep the meany Death Earters away! :)

**RubysQuill- **I'm sorry my writing isn't that good but i'm just trying to get the spelling write at the moment. Writing isn't very easy for me as i am dyslexic, but thanks for reviewing and for the constructive critism, i really appreciate it. Please keep reviewing! :)

**hushpuppy22-** Harry will find somewhere else to stay. It becomes clear in the next chapter. A person/people were killed, and Ginny attacked, supposedly by Harry. You will find out more about what happened really soon but at the moment the characters are supposed to be uncertain of what happened. In the next few chapters, some things should become clearer. Please review! :)

**Slytherin66- **In this chapter you got to see Tonks' opinions and thoughts about Harry, but as a new mother, she is going to worry about the safety of her child. Remus will try to convince her that Harry is not dangerous. I'm glad you like it, please keep reviewing! :)

See you people next time!

Review, review, review!

:)


	8. Telling

Hi! Sorry i'm a bit late with this. I didn't have this chapter done yet so i had to finish it.

Please read and enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Telling_

'Are you sure this is ok?' Harry asked Remus as they made their way to Remus and Tonks' house.

'Yes, Harry, I'm sure!'

'And Tonks said yes?' Harry asked Remus for the third time that morning.

Remus turned his head away from Harry before answering, 'Yeah, she's fine with it' he muttered. 'Though, maybe you should just wait outside while I go in first.' Both men were silent for a while.

'You didn't ask her, did you?'

'I…well, I did, but she didn't exactly say _yes_. Then again, she didn't say no either!'

'Right, er…maybe we shouldn't do this?'

'Don't worry, Harry. Everything will be fine.' Remus put an arm around Harry's shoulders and gently propelled him forward.

* * *

'Well, this is the place.' Remus said, pointing to the house in front of them. He didn't wait for a reply before entering. Harry stared up at the white stone that sparkled in the autumn sun. The front windows were covered by white lace curtains and decorated with tubs of brightly coloured flowers. The house was quaint and looked as if it had just come out of a child's story book. It even had a white picket fence to finish off the picturesque scene.

Harry was pulled from his thoughts as Remus beckoned him through the front door. The man patted him on the back and led him into the sitting room.

'Just wait here, Harry. I'll be right through.'

The werewolf disappeared off into the kitchen, were Harry supposed Tonks would be. After a few moments of silence, a loud clatter shook Harry from his seat. Then came the shouting.

'Remus! What did I say?'

The man muttered something in response but was too quiet for Harry to hear. Harry had never really heard the man raise his voice to anyone and couldn't imagine Remus would do so to his own wife.

'Oh you'll be sorry when I get my hands on you, mister!' Tonks almost growled. 'I said that I didn't want him here. I know how much you want to help and I do too, but not in my own home.'

Despite feeling hurt at Tonks' words, Harry's inquisitive side pulled him closer to the kitchen door, hoping to get the whole of the conversation.

'Tonks, please. I need your help. _Harry_ needs your help. I know this seems like a lot to deal with but it's only for a short while.' Remus' voice seemed to sooth the irate woman as she gave a tired sigh. 'Anyway, I thought that you believed Harry was innocent?'

'I do, Remmy, you know I do,' Tonks cried out then lowered her voice to a whisper. 'but I just don't want to risk anything, now that we had Teddy.'

'Harry won't harm him.'

'Yeah, I guess but what if You Know Who sends his Death Eaters after him? Or what if _He_ comes himself.' she cried frantically.

Through the crack in the door, Harry could see Remus pull his wife into a fierce hug, placing delicate kisses atop her head. He soothed her with gentle words and rubbed her back until her tears stopped and she stood straight.

'I'm sorry.' she whispered.

'Don't be.' Remus held her face in his hands and kissed her softly.

Harry scuttled back into the sitting room, not wanting to spy on the couple's private moment and settled himself into an armchair.

When Tonks entered the room minutes later, Harry stood to greet her.

'Hello, Harry.' she said, surprisingly cheerfully.

'Hi. Sorry to barge in on you like this. I can leave if you want. I don't want to cause any trouble.'

'Nonsense.' Tonks waved a hand in dismissal of the idea. 'You can stay here as long as you like.' She gave Harry a once over before smiling up at him. 'You sure have changed since I last saw you!'

Then Remus appeared and placed a hand on her shoulder. 'He has changed, hasn't he?' he agreed with a smile.

Harry felt his cheeks heat up and was about to make a feeble reply when a muffled cry made the three of them jump in surprise.

'Oh, Teddy.' Tonks gasped. 'I need to go feed him. I totally forgot!' She ran from the room, leaving the two men to themselves. After a few moments they heard a loud thump followed by a hissed curse. 'It's okay!' Tonks called down the stairs, 'I just tripped on the stairs again…stupid steps…getting in the way all the time…'

Remus tried to hold back a grin as his accident-prone wife's mutterings drifted away upstairs.

* * *

The three adults sat at the dinner table, sipping on their rather thick tomato soup. Harry nearly choked on a large lump of…something, and almost spat it out but noticed Remus' pleading look. The man had warned Harry of Tonks' concoctions before they entered the kitchen for dinner. Apparently her cooking wasn't quite up to scratch yet but that she was teaching herself for when Teddy was older. Sadly, the many hours of practice had not paid off and on many nights Remus found himself going to bed hungry.

Harry surreptitiously swallowed the large chunk before placing his spoon down and starting up a conversation, giving him reason not to eat anymore.

'So, when's Teddy's birthday?'

Tonks didn't seem to hear him as she was rather engrossed in an unidentified, black lump sitting on her spoon.

Remus tapped her arm to get her attention and indicated to Teddy who was dropping off to sleep in his bowl of baby food.

Tonks jumped up and began to dab at her son's face. 'Sorry, what did you say?'

'When's his birthday?' Harry repeated.

'Oh, um, he'll be two in June. The 15th, right?' she said as she turned to her husband.

Remus nodded, suppressing a smile.

'You can hold him if you like?' Tonks suggested to Harry.

The raven grinned and held out his hands for the young child. Tonks placed him gently into his arms where the boy soon fell asleep, snuggled up to Harry's sweater.

'I think he likes you!'

* * *

Not long after dinner, Harry had decided to leave the couple and their son alone for the night. He trudged up the stairs, towel in hand, to the bathroom. Once he had turned on the taps and the bath water began to rise, Harry went to the spare room to undress. Wrapping the towel round his waist, Harry walked back into the room and froze, terrified. The bath water rose up the sides of the tub as he stood and watched it. His heart pounded in his chest and breathing became painful. His eyes unfocused and his head began to ache. His body swayed and he gripped the wall tightly. Resting his face against the cool tiles Harry tried to get his body back under control but the memories started flooding back.

_His face was covered with some sort of bag. He__ could see slight movements through the holes in the fabric and was only able to hear his captors when they stood above him. A rough hand grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him up into a kneeling position. At the same time, another hand ripped the bad from his head. He closed his eyes and groaned as the bright lights from wands were pointed in his direction. Taking a few moments to adjust to the light, he recognised the faces in front of him. Lucius Malfoy had his hand firmly gripped on Harry's upper arm as he dragged him across the room to a basin full of ice cold water while Bellatrix stood beside him; a large smile spread across her face._

_Before he could understand what was happening, his head __was forcibly submerged into the freezing water. Harry sucked in air as his face entered the liquid. A big mistake. He began to choke, struggling to be released from the grip on his head and arm. He started panicking; he could breath. His face began to go numb. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath. He was going to die. Just as this thought crossed his mind, the hand released the pressure on his skull and his head shot out of the water. He coughed and spluttered, struggling to get enough air into his lungs. He tried to move away from the two figures but his hands were tied together behind his back and Lucius Malfoy refused to release his grip. The only thing he could hear was Bellatrix cackling in the background._

'_Did you not like that baby Potter? No? Perhaps another go would change your mind?' And it happened again. The hand thrust his head forward and the torture started once more._

Harry collapsed onto his knees as the darkness encompassed him.

* * *

Tonks carefully made her way up the stairs, Teddy sitting on her hip. The small boy yawned as Tonks approached the landing. Upon nearing the bathroom, she heard the sound of running water.

Wanting to check that Harry was alright, Tonks knocked gently on the bathroom door. As her hand made contact with the wood, it swung open. Finding this odd, she pocked her head through the crack, eyes widening at what she saw.

From downstairs, Remus heard his wife's scream. Immediately dropping the diner plates, Remus ran up the stairs, two at a time. He stopped outside the bathroom, where Tonks was stood, clutching Teddy. He followed her gaze into the bathroom and gasped at the sight.

'Harry!' Remus pushed past Tonks and knelt on the wet floor, beside Harry's head. A trail of blood flowed out of the boy's mouth, forming wispy patterns as it met the bath water that flooded the floor.

* * *

Harry stared at the steaming mug of tea in his hands, afraid to ask the question on the tip of his tongue.

'What happened?' Harry looked across the kitchen table to Tonks and Remus. 'I mean three and a half years ago.' He added when Remus raised an eyebrow. 'All I can recall is that it all had something to do with Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. I don't actually remember what happened to me or why I went to Azkaban.'

'Oh!' Tonks replied, 'You mean you have no idea what happened that day?'

Harry shook his head as he looked back down at the table.

'What you've got to understand, Harry, is that no one really knew what was going on.'

'Just, just tell me everything you know.'

'Umm . . . where to start? Hmm . . . well, Tonks heard Ginny talking to Molly about Fred and George's joke shop. She wanted to know when they could go and visit, you see. Molly refused at first, saying that it was only right to wait to go with you, but, well, we got a letter from you informing us that you were going away for a while with your relatives and that you probably wouldn't be back until school started again.' Harry remained silent throughout the explanation. He didn't remember sending any letters, but then again, he didn't really remember much about that summer.

Remus continued, 'The Weasley's decided on a date to go and Tonks asked me if I wanted to tag along. I agreed. I hadn't had much to do at the time and, well, it was after Sirius.' Remus stopped for a moment as Harry cringed at the mention of his deceased godfather. 'I was lonely and upset and I thought that a bit of a laugh wouldn't hurt.'

Tonks took over, 'It was just a normal day, really. Diagon Alley was pretty busy, as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary. Anyway, we went in and looked around and then I noticed some sort of commotion outside. It was only when I had left the shop that I realised that there were death eaters everywhere.

'I did what any auror should do and called for help. Within minutes, aurors surrounded the area along with a few Order members as well. The death eaters were winning though; several aurors were down within minutes of arriving. Killing curses were flying around all over the place and numerous aurors claimed that it was you who hit and killed Trevors and Blueman.' she paused for a moment as she thought of her colleagues, 'We kept on going, regardless of the cries that you were fighting with the death eaters as apposed to against them. Then, everything stopped when we heard Ginny screaming and saw you standing over her, casting _crucio_ on her.'

'Chaos ensued.' Remus said with a sigh. 'The whole of the Weasley family, except Fred and George who were stood by me, near the shop at the time, went to Ginny. Aurors were doing their best to catch death eaters and you seemingly disappeared. Then, you reappeared, but something was wrong. I could immediately tell that you were hurt; however, you had been perfectly fine not two seconds ago. No scratches or bruises anywhere, then, all of a sudden, you could barely stand, cuts and bruises covered your face and your blood was splattered everywhere; however, only a few of us noticed the difference. The moment you fell to the ground, the aurors took you away.

'The court case was hurriedly put together and so a bit of a shambles. Even though the ministry knew that Voldemort had returned, there were still a few people that were determined to show everyone that you were no more than a boy who craved the spotlight. You were accused of the murders of the aurors Brian Trevors and Nicholas Blueman and the torture by means of the _cruciatus_ curse on Ginny Weasley. You had no chance really. Dumbledore had been away at the time and had done his best to find a way for you to be released but when a witness to the events showed him what had happened; he had to agree with the ministry. He was devastated.' Remus looked down at his hands before continuing, 'I tried to tell them what I saw, but, you know my status in the wizarding world as a werewolf meant that it was pretty much impossible for me to do anything for you.' Harry gave the man a reassuring smile. He was glad that he had tried to help even though it had not resulted in anything.

'Everyone who was close to you could tell that there was something wrong. You looked ill and well, you weren't acting yourself during the conviction. It was like you had been drugged or something.' Tonks added this, trying to think of a reason why Harry would not remember any of the events that took place.

'So then I was just sent to Azkaban? Did no one speak on my behalf?' Harry asked in an almost accusing manner.

'Yes, Dumbledore did but the evidence against you was far too much for Dumbledore to side step.' Remus said quietly. 'He tried Harry, we all did but you have to understand that there was nothing more we could do.'

'I know you want to help but I'm just finding this so difficult. I can't remember what happened and it's killing me! I need to know but nothing's coming. I want the memories to come back so I can prove that I'm innocent.' Harry rested his face in his hands, shaking his head in defeat.

'They will come back Harry.' Remus whispered. 'You just have to wait a little longer. Don't give up yet.'

* * *

Yay! Just so you know, Trevors and Blueman are made up, they are not very important.

**RubysQuill- **Thank you. I'll keep trying! PLease review. :)

**Allen Pitt- **OH MY DAYS! I love it! I so should have made him just take a room without paying. I like your ideas. I think it is so cute that Remus and Tonks have a baby! Yay baby! :) PLease review!

It may take a bit longer for updates because i haven't writen the next chapters yet. Sorry.


	9. Meeting

Hi! Sorry it's been a while, i had lots to do but now i've had a holiday i've had time to write again. I'll try to be faster next time.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Meeting_

The Burrow's kitchen was packed full of order members. The room was a stark contrast from the dark outside. Light bathed every corner and the smell of Molly Weasley's cooking filled the room. It was unusual for meetings to take place in the small family home; however, it was an easy place to get to in short notice so Albus Dumbledore, with the consent of Molly and Arthur, invited the members over for the urgent meeting.

Dumbledore coughed once, ceasing the light conversation taking place at the kitchen table.

'Thank you, friends for coming tonight. I appreciate your attendance on such short notice.' At this, he took a quick glance at the door as Tonks and Remus stumbled into the room, late for some reason unknown to the old headmaster. 'I hate to be, yet again, the bearer of bad news, but it has come to my attention that Voldemort has plans for yet another attack.'

Not before wincing at the use of the Dark Lord's name, the members discussed their opinions of the upcoming attack in hushed whispers.

Silencing them, Dumbledore continued. 'I have been informed, by a reliable source,' Albus shot a look at a grim Severus Snape, 'that the Dark Lord plans to make a public attack at dusk on the third Thursday in November. We believe his aim is to secure places in the ministry and to find Mr Potter. Voldemort is of the opinion that Harry will be drawn to the fight and so will make an appearance.'

There was uproar from some of the order members who worked within the ministry.

'So now, instead of trying to kill the boy, the Dark Lord wants to use him to his advantage?'

'It is believed that this is the case but in fact, Voldemort still intends to kill Harry.' Dumbledore explained in a calm tone.

'Fine then! Why don't we just let old snake face get the boy?' shouted one. 'Look what the kid did; he killed two of our men!'

Dumbledore frowned at the outburst and granted the fuming Auror a disapproving look. Most of the Aurors and a few too many Order member than the headmaster would like, all seemed convinced that Harry was guilty. The aging man himself was not quite so sure and he spent many a night awake in bed, doubting any thoughts or actions concerning Harry in the last few years. He had once been so sure that Harry, the boy he often thought of as his own family, was going to save the wizarding world and grow up to be the man he had always imagined the boy would be. He was now totally unsure what to believe anymore. He knew that Harry no longer trusted him as he once had and Albus was shaken by this realisation. What scared him more was that he had never once, in all three years that the boy had been locked away, gone to visit him. He had always put it to being too busy or not wanting to upset the boy by visiting but Albus knew. He knew that the only reason he had never been to see the young boy, was fear of the boy himself. He was not afraid of what the boy had been accused of doing, but of what he had been made into. Harry had only been fifteen when he had been sentenced to life in Azkaban. Dumbledore couldn't even begin to contemplate how the child must have felt. The only thing that came to mind was absolutely terrified.

The first time in three years that he had seen Harry properly was at the attack in September. He had been stunned by how much the boy had changed. Despite not receiving the correct nourishment during the past three years, he had shot up in height and his whole manner seemed to have matured. Although the mop of messy black hair, which stood up in all directions, gave the boy a rather childlike appearance, Dumbledore could see that Harry had changed since his school days. He looked to be a lot older than his years, which was not surprising considering the situation the boy had found himself in.

In spite of all these changes, the old Harry was still there, hiding away somewhere, not ready to resurface yet. Just by looking into those eyes of his, Albus could see the young boy within. He could feel the pain and fear that Harry had tried so desperately to hide from him. How he had missed those eyes; but they were gone too soon as the emerald had been misted by the deep red of his rival.

With a sigh the headmaster was brought back from his reverie by the odd looks from his fellow Order members.

'Despite what we have all been told and led to believe over the past three years, I still have my doubts about what the truth really is. Friends, I find it hard to contemplate that our dear Harry could possibly do such things, especially at such a young age, but I, just like everyone else present, have no clue as to what to believe anymore. I truly, with all my heart hope that Harry is innocent and I will not rest until I find the truth. I am sure that many of you also wish to know the facts of previous events concerning Harry and I beg you all to help. Don't turn on the boy just yet. It's not fair on him.' Dumbledore lowered himself into his seat and rubbed his weary eyes with thumb and forefinger.

The room was rather still for a few minutes as they all took in and processed what had been said. Finally one Auror, by the name of Welsh, stood and turned to the exhausted headmaster.

'I think you have finally lost it Dumbledore.' he snarled. 'How on earth can you expect us to believe this waffle? There was _proof _of what Potter did so how can you still honestly believe that he might be innocent?' Albus raised a hand to silence the irate young man but to no avail. 'And what do you mean 'at such a young age'? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had committed terrible things by Potter's age, so what's there to say that the boy won't become just as bad? In this case, age has _nothing_ to do with this!' Welsh made towards the door but stopped as he pulled on his jacket. 'Until you have found something that might convince me otherwise, that boy is just as evil as You-Know-Who and I want nothing to do with you or your ridiculous ideas!' Glancing at his fellow Aurors he sighed loudly, 'Call me when the old fool comes to his senses.'

Once again the room fell silent and more than a few faces looked stunned at the outburst. The elderly wizard at the head of the table placed his head in his hands and muttered, 'If anymore of you feel the same way, please feel free to leave. I do not want to force you to fight for what you do not believe.' And with a wave of his hand, he sent them on their way. Slowly, a few at a time, the majority of the Aurors and ministry workers left the Burrow with some reluctance.

Of the many that made it to the meeting, very few still remained. The Weasleys sat quietly at one end of the long table, looking tired and emotionally drained while Tonks and Remus subtly slipped into a couple of the previously occupied seats. Dumbledore of course sat in his place, rubbing his creased brow jadedly, wondering if what he had done was the best idea. Across the room sat Hermione, Snape, Kingsley, ex-auror Mad-Eye Moody, Neville Longbottom, Hestia Jones, Deadalus Diggle and Mundungus Fletcher all quietly discussing recent events among themselves.

'I am sorry, Molly, Arthur, for causing such a disturbance in your home tonight. I hope you can forgive me.' Molly tried a small smile but it barley reached her eyes and Arthur appeared all together out of the room. His mind must have been elsewhere and deep in thought. Bill gave him a slight nudge which shook him from his thoughts.

'Arr, um yes Albus. I totally agree. Urr, sorry what did you say?'

The headmaster chuckled gently. 'Don't worry Arthur; we have all had a tiresome day. I was just apologising for being the cause of such a disturbance in your humble home. I know that you and your family will also have trouble believing what I said tonight but I would not be doing this if I did not whole heartedly believe that Harry was innocent. I am well aware that I have said that I do not have all the facts and I am not one hundred percent sure of what the truth is but I know that Harry did not harm your daughter. I haven't always been this sure but now I know that I cannot turn on the boy.'

Arthur's eyes seemed to fill with something that Dumbledore couldn't place his finger on. Pity? He wouldn't be surprised. More and more people these days were giving him odd looks and Albus believed many thought him to be going mad.

After a long moment of silence, Arthur spoke.

'We trust you, Albus; you have never lied to us before so we have no reason to go against what you have told us tonight. I cannot speak on behalf of the whole family but I found it difficult to believe that Harry could do such a terrible thing, especially to Ginny. If we can sort out this sordid affair, I would be eternally grateful to you.'

Fred and George gave a nod in agreement whereas the rest of the family still looked a little unsure. Ginny sat very quietly at the end of the table, by her father. She hadn't said very much about Harry since he had escaped from Azkaban and the family didn't like to ask her about it for fear of upsetting her.

Remus' late arrival to the meeting, a result of Tonks' insistence to explain to Harry Teddy's 'bedtime routine' three times before she was satisfied that she was leaving her son in good hands, meant that he and his wife had to stand at the back of the crowded room, until seats became available. They were now sitting opposite Bill and the twins. Tonks was chatting idly away to Bill, discussing baby matters. Bill and Fleur's daughter, Dominique, was the same age as Teddy, born only a few months earlier. Although the two women had never been that close before, they still enjoyed to share ideas and useful tips whenever they saw one another. However, as Fleur was not present, staying home with the baby, Tonks had had to settle for Bill. She had been energetically questioning him about his daughter for almost twenty minutes and it was becoming quite tiresome. When the opportunity appeared, he subtly changed the subject to her own son, Teddy. Tonks beamed with joy and pride as she told of how Teddy could finally climb the stairs by himself. Bill just looked at her, completely unimpressed but trying not to seem board or unkind. The rivalry between Fleur and Tonks about which child was the best really needed to be stopped but it occasionally proved to be rather entertaining.

'So, where is Teddy tonight?' Bill asked. 'Who's looking after him?'

'Oh, um, her-' Remus began but Tonks cut him off.

'The babysitter! Um, yeah!' This was followed by vigorous nodding.

'Really?' Bill asked.

'Yeah, really?' Remus questioned with a raised eyebrow.

'No, it's just; Fleur and I have been looking for a babysitter for a while now. Is your one any good?'

Tonks simply nodded, 'Yeah, yes! He's great, really good!'

'It's a guy?'

Tonks thought about this for a second, 'No! I didn't say _he_! I said, um, _she_!'

'Right' Bill murmured before turning to his father.

Rolling his eyes, Remus leant down to whisper in his wife's ear; 'You could have just said it was your Mum, you know.'

Tonks huffed and glared at her husband. 'Don't bring my mother into this!' she hissed.

Remus couldn't help the slight raise at the corner of his lips. Taking a drink from the steaming mug of tea that Molly had just given to him, Remus turned to the side, watching Albus in deep conversation with Mad Eye. The old headmaster had not seemed himself during the meeting; he appeared to be visibly shaken by the comments made about Harry.

With the room silent, Dumbledore spoke, his voice more stable than it had been earlier in the evening. 'Has anyone happened across young Harry recently? If so, please do tell.'

Remus and Tonks exchanged a quick glance at each other before turning back to Albus, shaking their heads; however, they stopped abruptly when Hermione spoke up.

'We did Professor.' Hermione gestured to herself, Ron and the twins as she answered.

Hermione had never gotten used to calling the old headmaster anything other than Professor or Sir; something that the Weasley children considered highly amusing and so spent hours mirthlessly teasing her about it.

All heads turned towards Hermione, Ron and the twins expectantly, waiting for them to elaborate.

'I, well, we wanted to see Harry again so a few days after the attack, we went to look around the area but, we didn't have much luck. I mentioned it to Tonks and she told me that Remus had seen him and gave us the address.' All heads in the room now turned towards Remus and Tonks. Remus gave his a wife a meaningful look. She simply shrugged it off but her cheeks began to turn a light pink in colour.

Hermione continued after a moment, keen to tell everyone about Harry. 'We went to his house after Tonks had given us the address and saw him but,' she paused for breath before continuing, 'well, I don't think he wanted to see us. He took us on a wild goose-chase really!'

Ron interrupted, 'Huh, er, no Hermione, he went to the supermarket!'

'Yes, Ronald!' she replied exasperated. 'I know that, but do you honestly believe that everything that happened when we were there was an accident? The bucket of water, the moving lamp and you falling over into the tinned pears?'

'Actually, I think you will find it was tinned tomatoes, Hermione.' Fred interrupted, speaking for the first time that evening. This earned a large grin from his twin.

'Does it matter? He knew we were following him and so he messed around with us! I doubt he actually want to go to the supermarket!' Hermione cried indignantly, trying to get her point across.

'And how did he seem?' Albus asked when they had finished their bickering.

'Well, he seemed fine I suppose. He's obviously been practising his magic as I think he apparated away!' Hermione had pride in her voice as she said this; her old friend must have been working exceptionally hard if he could apparate without having been taught.

Albus smiled at this. He had noticed that too when he had seen Harry after the attack.

'He's changed a lot though.' Hermione stated, almost sad. 'I didn't think someone could change so much in three years, but, I suppose Azkaban didn't help.'

Snape sneered at this comment, 'Of course he's changed; it's called puberty you insufferable child!'

'Severus' Albus warned.

For perhaps the first time in their lives, the Weasley twins agreed with the surly potions mater. 'Yeah!'

'He's certainly not that…'

'Little kid that didn't know how to get onto platform…'

'9 ¾ all those years ago!' Finished Fred.

The room's occupants, apart from a rather ill-tempered Potions master, were hushed as they thought back to the bespectacled boy who had always been kind and generous despite the troubles he had forever been faced with.

'When was it that you saw him, Remus?' Molly inquired.

Remus placed his mug down on the table and rubbed his hands together in thought. 'It was just after the attack in September. I followed him when it was all over and ended up outside his house. He was in a bad state so I couldn't just leave him. I took him inside and cleaned him up a bit. I'm not too good at healing spells but I did my best.'

'Why did you not mention this before?' questioned Dumbledore.

Remus sighed. 'I never believed that Harry was guilty, Albus but I knew that most of the Order thought otherwise so I didn't tell anyone, apart from Tonks, because I was afraid that you would all go after him. I wanted to explain everything that Harry has told me before everyone goes to find him.' Remus paused and took a deep breath. Tonks linked fingers with her husband, giving them a gentle squeeze of comfort, before she took over.

'Harry doesn't remember much but there are certain things that jog his memories. It's happened a few times now. He'll be doing something perfectly normal but it will suddenly remind him of something that happened and then, well he sort of falls over…' She drifted off, not sure what else to say. The rest of the members around the table stared at her with confusion etched onto their faces.

'Falls over?' Ron asked, confused. 'Wait, how do you know this?'

'He wasn't safe in his flat anymore, so I asked him to come stay with Tonks and me. He's been with us for almost two weeks now. A few times he has had some flash backs of some sort and they always lead to him passing out.'

'Did he tell you about these flash backs?' Dumbledore asked.

'Not really. When I first found him, he just told me what he could remember. It wasn't much. He said that it was always dark.' Remus furrowed his brow, trying to remember what Harry had said at the time. 'He also said that there were voices at times but then he said that the next thing he saw Ginny on the ground, surrounded by the Weasleys. He doesn't really remember the trial, only bits of it. I'm sorry I didn't inform you before, Albus.'

The old wizard smiled gently at the werewolf to reassure him. 'No reason to worry my boy. We now know that Harry is safe so we can begin to find out what really happened. However, this information is not to leave this room.' He glanced around the room, making eye contact with each member, to make sure they understood. 'I know that I can trust the people in this room. You all stayed and want to give Harry another chance. I can not thank you enough for that but if anyone who is biased towards Harry finds out; they will no doubt use it against him.' Everyone around the table nodded, promising to keep their word.

'Now that I am sure that we have made some progress, I believe we have encroached on Molly and Arthur's time and hospitality too long. Come, it is time to leave. Thank you again for coming and thank you Molly and Arthur for allowing us to hold the meeting in you home.'

There was a scraping of chairs if the kitchen floor as the guests made their way towards the front door. Albus slowing got up from his chair and instead of following the crowd, made his way to Molly who stood at the opposite end of the small room.

'Molly, I hope that this unusual meeting has not ruined your evening too much.'

'Oh nonsense Albus, you know that you are always welcome into our home and we are happy to be of assistance to you.' Dumbledore smiled again before turning to make his leave when Molly called him back. 'Sorry to bother you Albus but, I just wanted to say that despite not always believing that Harry was innocent, I do want to help. If there is any chance that we can prove Harry innocent, I want to be as useful as possible. So, please do let us all know how we can help.'

'Of course, Molly. Now, have a good evening and thank you again.' And with a slight nod of the head, Dumbledore went on his way, a new goal in mind.

* * *

Just to let you all know, I know that in the books Bill and Fleur's daughter is called Victoire but that is only because she is named after the victory of the battle. As the battle hasn't happened, I just used the name of their second daughter.

I hope you enjoyed it, please review!


	10. Purple Goo

Hi people! I'm so sorry that it has been so long! I got back to school and at first it was fine but then i had lots of work and i forgot to write more! Anyway, i have the next few chapters part written so it shouldn't be too long before more is up.

Please forgive me! I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not very exciting though. :(

* * *

Walking Free

_Purple Goo_

Sitting at the window in his room, Ron thought over what had been discussed the night before. It had been rather strange to be talking about Harry again. Since he had been sent away to Azkaban no one ever brought him up in meetings as it was a touchy subject. It had hurt Ron to have his best friend taken away from him so suddenly and he had had trouble dealing with what had happened. For months after the ordeal, he spent most of his time in his room, trying to process what Harry had done. Half the time Ron refused to believe that his best mate could betray him like that but then he would see the situation from the other side and begin to doubt himself. School had been particularly hard without Harry. They had been inseparable for years. They would go around together, do homework together, eat together and generally live together. Ron had always thought of Harry as another brother and it pained him to move on without his brother by his side.

Ron had also discovered that many of his and Harry's friends were still on Harry's side but there were a few who completely lost their trust in him. Seamus, for example insisted that he had known all along that Harry was on the Dark side and tried to convince Dean and many others that Harry was not to be trusted. Ron was thankful that, despite a few morons who actually listened to Seamus, Harry's close friends were still not convinced and open to ideas. Some people often asked Ron how he could still trust Harry when he had used Cruciatus Curse on his sister. He would tell them, either that it was none of their business or if they were really persistent, that Harry would never do anything like that to Ginny. Although he said this with confidence, there was something in the back of his mind that told him otherwise. In truth, Ron had no idea what had really happened. There was a large amount of evidence against him which would suggest that Harry had really done those things. After a while Ron gave up on trying to reason with people about Harry and he tried to forget all about it. He and Hermione became very close and quite dependant on each other. Things started to get better at school and at home for Ron but it was never the same as it had been. He became more studious as Harry was no longer there to go on exciting adventures with or to mess around with. This pleased Hermione and his mother and Ron to some extent but he would much rather have his brother back than all Os in his NEWTs.

With a sigh Ron sat up straight to observe Hermione who was sitting at his desk. She was bent over a stack of work papers that she wanted to finish ahead of schedule. As if on cue, she looked up at Ron and gave a small smile. Ron reached out his hand, indicating for her to come closer. At first she looked hesitant but she soon gave in. When she got close enough, Ron wrapped his arms around her waist and placed a kiss on her cheek. Mumbling something into her shoulder, Ron squeezed her tight to his chest.

'What?' Hermione giggled. 'What did you say?'

'Nothing.' Ron sighed.

'No, tell me.' Hermione insisted, pushing gently away.

'I was just thinking about the meeting last night.' Ron looked up at Hermione and brushed back her wavy hair, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. 'I guess I'm just worried, you know, about the attack.'

'You mean Harry?' Ron turned away, loosening his grip around her. 'Ron, there is no reason why you shouldn't be worried about Harry. He was, no, is your best friend so of course you should care about what happens to him.'

'It's not that, Hermione. I'm not…ashamed to be his friend or any rubbish like that, I'm more upset with myself.'

'What do you mean?'

'Hermione, Harry thought of me as his best friend and then I went and abandoned him, letting those people send him to Azkaban and now he might not even be guilty. I feel like the worst best friend ever!' Ron wailed.

'Oh, hush.' Hermione pulled Ron close again and tucked her head under his chin. 'Harry will understand. How were you to know, Ron? Anyway, we don't even know if he is innocent or not.'

'Don't say that!' Ron moved away from Hermione's embrace and flopped down on his bed. 'I don't want to think about that. Knowing that he could be innocent has gotten me really…you know…' Ron furrowed his brow in concentration, his face turning slightly red. Hermione was about to tell him not to strain himself when someone did it for her.

'Calm down, Ron. You don't want to destroy any of the few brain cells that you actually posses.' Hermione smiled at Ginny as she sat down next to her brother.

'Very funny, Gin.' Ron grumbled. She smiled cheekily back but the two could both see that she was struggling to keep up the happy pretence.

'Is there anything we can do for you, Ginny.' Hermione asked.

'You were talking about Harry weren't you?' Ron huffed into his pillow while Hermione nodded slowly. They were all silent for a while until Hermione tried to lighten the mood with some innocent banter.

'Nice weather for Quidditch isn't it?' The other two glanced out of the window at the grey sky and the rain pelting down onto the glass. 'Or not.'

'Cut the crap guys! Why didn't you tell me that you went to see Harry?'

'Why should we tell you?' Ron shot up from snuggling with his pillow and frowned at his sister. 'It's none of your business.'

'Ronald!' Hermione bat him atop the head with an old magazine from _Quality Quidditch Supplies_. 'Don't be so rude. Sorry, Ginny. He's in a foul mood today.'

'I am not!' Ron cried incredulously. 'Look, Gin, we didn't tell you because we wanted to go alone.'

'Oh really? Then why did Fred and George go with you then?'

Hermione shoved Ron out of the way and sat on the bed next to the younger girl. 'You know why we didn't tell you. We didn't want to upset you.'

'But I-'

'Ginny, please don't get angry. We just didn't want you to get upset about it so we didn't tell you. We didn't really see him anyway.'

'No, just got a huge bruise on my backside.' Rom mumbled.

Ginny gave him a puzzled look, her cheeks going slightly pink. Ron huffed once more and buried his head among the duvet.

'Urm…just an incident with a few tins of tomatoes, that's all.' Hermione explained briefly with a sigh.

'Bloody tomatoes…'

Ginny leant over Hermione and walloped her brother's leg in frustration. 'You're just changing the subject. You lot went to see Harry and you didn't tell me!' She pulled at her hair and swallowed, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. 'Look, I don't want to hear anymore right now but the next time you go to see Harry or get in contact with him at all, I want to know.'

'We're really sorry, Ginny.' Hermione muttered again as the girl stood and strode out of the room.

'That went real well, didn't it?' Ron muffled sarcastically from under his blankets. 'I told you she didn't need to know. I knew from the start that she wouldn't believe us. "We didn't want to hurt you".' Ron mimicked in a girly voice. 'Yeah, like she'd believe that!'

'But it's true!' Hermione exclaimed. 'And I do not speak like that…do I?'

Ron couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he sat up and pulled the brunet into his lap. 'No,' he mumbled into her neck. 'Well sometimes…'

'Ron!'

Ron grinned widely, kissing her on the lips. At first Hermione looked displeased but she was soon happy snuggled up to him as he played with her hair, planting small, loving kisses over her brow.

* * *

Fred Weasley groaned and rubbed his sore back. He had been lifting and unloading boxes of merchandise all morning and had received very little help or sympathy from his twin, George. Speaking of his twin he hadn't seen or heard from him in over an hour. He wouldn't be surprised to find that the idiot had gone off to the Leaky Cauldron, leaving his brother and co-worker to do all the work.

Fred went behind the counter and through the door to the back room. He grabbed his coat, ready to go join his twin in the pub when he heard a loud pop. Realising that it had been the sound of Apparation, Fred quickly dashed out to the shop, ready to give his brother a good clout around the head.

'George, you little bugger. Why d'you leave me to-' He cut short when he noticed that the man in front of him was not his twin.

'Hello, Fred.'

'Harry?'

The raven headed man raised his arms with a wide grin. 'The one and only.'

This was followed by slightly awkward science as Fred wasn't sure if he was seeing correctly.

'What the hell are you doing here?' Fred hissed, rushing passed Harry to pull down the blinds over windows and the door. 'You can't be seen you idiot! You managed to escape from _Azkaban_, how I am still completely clueless, and then you go around in public as if nothing ever happened!' Fred panted slightly as he stared at Harry in shock.

'Wow.' Harry whooped. 'All I was expecting was a friendly "Hello".'

'Don't joke Harry.' Fred scolded. 'Look, it's not that I'm not happy to see you, it's just…' Fred rubbed a hand over his weary face. 'Harry, you're the most wanted criminal out there at the moment and you're willing to through away your chance at freedom by coming to visit?'

Harry shrugged, strode over to the counter and hopped up onto it. He swung his legs and looked up at Fred as he watched Harry, not believing what he saw.

'How can you be so…so cheery?' he asked, scratching his head, a bit like Ron did.

'Well, I'm free aren't I?' Harry smiled, picking up a toy from the counter and squeezing it in his fist. It gave out a loud bang before melting into goo in his palm. Giving the odd, purple goo a baffled look, he surreptitiously wiped he substance on his jeans. 'So, where's George?'

'Oh um...at the pub I think, but um…don't change the subject! You may be free now but people are still after you. We have a long way to go before we can prove you innocent. Until you have the all clear, you have to stay in hiding.'

Harry frowned at the redhead like a small child would to his mother after she had forbidden him from playing in a muddy puddle. Fred could tell that Harry didn't like being told what to do, even if he was only trying to help. Harry had been as stubborn as a mule before Azkaban and it seemed that three years there hadn't changed that at all.

As the two lapsed into silence again the shop door opened to reveal George, carrying a box of fire whisky bottles.

'Hey, Fred.' he called, still not having looked up to notice the other occupant in the room. 'Sorry I left without telling you. I just went to the Leaky Cauldron to get some more whisky.' George dumped the box down and bent down to open it. 'Anyway, on my way back I got kinda hungry so I stopped off at Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream parlour. Man, now they have some good grub!' The younger twin stood, holding two bottles of fire whisky and handed one to his brother. 'Oh, Harry, sorry didn't see you there, here,' he bent down and retrieved another bottle. 'have a drink.'

Harry caught the bottle firmly in his fist as it flew towards him, reminding him of his school day as Gryffindor's Seeker. It was only as he tossed the bottle that George realised, really who it was.

'Wait, what are you doing here?' George exclaimed.

'Thank you!' Fred looked up at the ceiling, as if praying. 'Now that was the kind of reaction I was expecting.'

'Hey man, I see you've found our new "Exploding Purple Goo"! D'you like it?' George cried with a grin, distracting himself and the other two from the previous conversation.

'Umm…it's great.' Harry lied. 'Is that really what you called it? Just, "Exploding Purple Goo"?'

'Aww man, don't say it like that! You take all the fun out of it!'

'Sorry George, but it's not you're best invention ever.'

'It is actually.' Fred muttered over his shoulder.

'Fred!' George cried at his brother.

'So what does it do?' Harry asked, trying to stop the impending argument.

'Umm…explode.' George answered sheepishly.

'Is that it? Really? Doesn't it make your face erupt in boils, or makes you swell up into a big purple raspberry? Anything?'

The twins were silent for a moment before they both themselves erupted into an argument.

'Why didn't we think of that?' George whined.

'I don't know. You were the one who invented the damn thing.'

'Hey, it wasn't just me, you helped! If it's a complete fail, you are just as much to blame as I am!'

'The only thing I did was help you to think of something to make. It's not my fault you botched up the potion and ended up inventing that crap!' Fred pointed, critically at their newest product. 'The only reason I let you put the bloody thing on the market was because I'd the only thing you've invented in months that actually does something, god damnit!'

George's face flushed and his eyes were held in a cold glare at the floor. Fred slammed his hand down on one of the display tables before running his fingers through his hair. Clearing his throat Fred approached his brother and slung an arm around his shoulders. George looked up at his twin and wrapped one arm around his waist and gave a gentle slap to his chest.

Harry watched on as the brothers had fought over a small and insignificant matter and then as they shared a silent but no less loving apology and appreciation of one another.

'Sorry, Harry.' Fred sighed, giving his brother's shoulder another squeeze before letting his arm drop to his side. 'We've been a little on edge recently and it's caused our work to suffer.'

'We've been really worried.' George continued. 'When we found out that you had escaped we were both happy and nervous. We really wanted to help you, let you stay with us but I guess we never had the courage to do it. You do know that we believe you didn't hurt Gin or kill those Aurors, don't you?'

Harry nodded, giving the worried and stressed twin a calming smile. 'Don't worry guys, I'm fine. Remus and Tonks are taking good care of me and in return I watch Teddy for them when they go out, you know, to Order meetings and stuff. I mean, the real reason I came here was to thank you. You guys and Remus are the only ones who are still on my side. I think I own you at least a visit. Oh, and I also wanted to thank you for putting all my school stuff in the attic at the Burrow.'

'No problem.' the twins answered in unison.

'You know,' George started.

'We're not the only ones,' Fred followed on.

'Still on your side. Ron and Hermione-'

'Have been really worried about you and-'

'When they were at school Ron practically murdered anyone who said anything bad about you.'

'And while Hermione also tried to convince your friends that you're not a killer,'

'She did it slightly more discretely then our dear Ronald.'

Harry nodded briefly, taking in this surprising yet rather touching news. 'What…what about…err…Ginny?' he asked almost in a whisper.

'Err, she's okay. She did really well in school you know, got all Es and Os in her NEWTs.'

'George, you know that's not what I meant.' Harry sighed.

'Yeah, I know.' Fred and George exchanged a look. 'I'm sorry Harry, we really don't know. She's been so quiet about the whole subject. She never talks about it and neither does anyone else. Mum and Dad are still in shock, even after all this time they still can't believe what happened.'

Harry took a sip from his forgotten Fire Whisky, thinking about Ginny. He didn't know why but he felt even more hurt at the thought that Ginny was against him than he was when he thought Ron and Hermione were. She had always been close to him but not as close as Ron and Hermione had been so why did it hurt so much more?

Not wanting to think about it further Harry slid down from the counter, took a few more sips of his drink before taking his leave. He thanked the twins again for all their help and promised to see them soon if he had the chance. He Apparated from the shop to an ally a few streets away from Remus and Tonks' house, somewhat glad to be back.

Harry had been worried that Remus would be angry that he head left without telling him. The couple had taken Teddy to Andromeda's house for the morning and so Harry had left a note telling them where he was just in case they came back before he did.

However, as he approached the front door it swung open and an annoyed looking Remus stood in the threshold.

'Hi, Remus.' Harry waved his hand pathetically and when Remus turned into the house Harry's hand flopped down. He knew instantly that he was in for it.

* * *

'I'm very disappointed in you Harry.' Remus said for the hundredth time as he paced the small space of the living room.

'I know, Remus, I'm really sorry I went out. I won't do it again.'

As soon as Harry had entered the house Remus had sat him down and talked at him. Harry had listened at first but after about ten minutes the message had been put across and understood but Remus was simply extending his little speech for as long as possible, as if it would get the point across better. Harry knew that the elder man was only trying to help and that he cared for him but Harry was tired of being told what he could and couldn't do. He had been locked away for three years and now all he wanted know was to be free. He wanted to be away from all the rules of school and his elders. He wanted to have his own life and not let other people control it for him. His one moment of independence in ages had been crushed by Remus acting like an overprotective parent, scolding his young son for taking treats from the cookie jar.

'Harry, are you listening to me?'

Harry looked up and nodded. 'Yeah.'

'Hmm. Never mind. Just remember what I told you. Do not go out unless either myself or Tonks is with you. D'you understand?'

'Yes.' Harry replied impatiently. 'I can't do anything on my own, once again. I have to be escorted everywhere, helped with everything! Why don't you just put me in a crib, dress me in a bonnet and be done with it!'

Harry stormed from the room and marched up the stairs. Remus flinched when the door to Harry's room slammed with unnecessary force. Teddy, who was sat in the corner, playing with his toys, began to cry. Remus sighed, bending to pick him up. The young child clung to him and immediately calmed down. Remus smiled down at the small infant as he sucked his thumb whilst clinging onto his father's shirt.

Remus kissed the boys soft brown hair which then flashed turquoise. 'I love you, Teddy.' Remus whispered into his son's ear. 'But if you turn out like that, you're on your own, Buddy.'

* * *

Yay! Another chapter up! I hope you all liked it.

**Allen Pitt- **Don't worry, Ginny comes into the story a lot more now. She is in some of the next few chapters so we should find out what she thinks about it all. Thanks for reviewing. :)

**pinkyroo- **Yay! Thanks for reviewing! Sorry for making you all wait so long.

Please R and R


	11. Attack

Hi! I hope you all like this chapter.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Attack_

Before Harry had realised it, another full moon had come by whilst he had been living with Remus, Tonks and Teddy. It just so happened that on the night of the full moon, an urgent Order meeting had been called by Dumbledore. Remus and Tonks had kept the contents of previous meetings quite secret, only telling Harry that there was nothing new; however, Harry knew that there was an upcoming attack and that this was the subject of the urgently called meetings.

Harry found himself babysitting baby Teddy again on the full moon; Remus being unable to attend the meeting or look after his son because of his condition.

The evening was a long one. After putting Teddy to bed, Harry spent most of the night sitting in the small living room, anticipation of hearing about the meeting welling up inside of him. He knew it was stupid to get excited though. Remus and Tonks never told him anything of any importance; however, he knew the attack was coming soon and that they would be preparing during the meetings.

It was around midnight when Harry fell asleep on the small sofa; his legs hung over the arm rest of the settee as snores escaped from his open mouth. In his dream, Harry was watching over Teddy whilst Remus and Tonks were playing exploding snap in the bathroom. Teddy's hair changed from turquoise to purple to bright orange and then back to turquoise as he played with Harry's shoelace. After a while Harry noticed that the small child was muttering to himself, repeating the word 'kill' over and over. Harry frowned at hearing this, out of confusion more than anything else. The baby couldn't say anything like that yet, at least not to his knowledge. He had only learnt a few odd words such as; 'more', 'this', 'chair' and 'purple'. Then, all of a sudden, Teddy disappeared. Harry tried not to panic. He had probably just walked out the room. Standing up, Harry made his way towards to door; however, as he opened it, the scene changed and he was met with black. He walked further into the room and could begin to make out faces of other occupants. And then he spoke, his cold voice erupted in the room.

'What is it that you wish to tell me, Rowle?'

'My Lord' the man gasped, 'I merely wanted to tell you that Lucius Malfoy has everything set up!'

'Is this true, Severus?'

'Yes, my Lord' spoke the potions master from the corner.

Harry examined the man for a moment. He had suspected Severus of treachery for a while now. After every attack, the man would disappear, only returning to his master sometimes hours later. He claimed that he was trying to convince the old headmaster that he was truly on their side so that he could pass on valuable information to the Dark Lord. Voldemort was not so sure. He had asked Pettigrew to keep an eye on the potions master but Wormtail was as useless as a person could possibly get. He surveyed the man for a moment longer.

'You may leave, Severus.'

'Thank you, my Lord!' The man bowed as he left. After the door had closed, he heard a faint crack as Severus disapparated.

He looked back at Rowle and continued, 'I want no problems Rowle! Do you understand? I need to infiltrate the ministry to over-rule Dumbledore and I need to get Potter!'

'Yes, my Lord! Of course! Everything should go…' Voldemort felt his anger rising at the stupid Death Eater. Recently, nothing ever went right!

'Quiet you useless man! _Crucio!_' he growled as he pointed his wand to the man in front of him. He felt a sick pleasure rise inside of him as he watched his follower writhe on the floor in immense pain.

Harry awoke with a start. His heart was racing and his scar burned. He traced the lightning bolt shaped on his forehead with a shaky hand. The connection between Voldemort and himself had diminished slightly since his escape from Azkaban; he was only being able to see into the Dark Lord's mind when he was particularly angry or happy; however, the scar prickled on a daily basis since his fifth year at Hogwarts.

When the scar gave a particularly nasty throb, Harry moved to sit up. It was here, as he sat on the saggy sofa of his old Defence against the Dart Arts teacher that he wondered when his life had become such a mess. When had he ever been happy? Carefree? He felt miserable cuddled up in the dark room. Why was his life such a bloody mess? Why was he always putting people in danger? Why did he have to be the sodding Boy-Who-Lived? An overwhelming sense of rage built up in the teen towards his old friend, Neville Longbottom. Why couldn't he have been the one in the prophesy? Why was it always Harry?

Harry's anger abated when he heard the muffled cry of little Teddy upstairs. Sighing, he hauled himself off of the sofa and made his way up to the bedroom.

* * *

Tonks sat at the kitchen table across from her husband. She examined his scratched face as he sipped his tea. He had told her that he was fine but Tonks knew that he was still in some pain from his transformation. He frowned when he caught her looking at him.

'Really Dora, I'm fine. The Wolf's bane that Severus gave me really makes a difference! You shouldn't worry as much as you do!' Tonks looked away whilst he took another sip from the old mug in her small hands. 'Where's Harry?'

'Oh, he's in the living playing with Teddy.'

'I see.' Remus paused and turned his head to the side so that he could check if the kitchen door was closed. 'What happened last night at the meeting?'

'Well, we went over plans.' Tonks sighed. 'It took ages though! All the aurors in the group were arguing about the best way to go about the whole thing! Then we had to wait until Severus turned up and he was really late. It was well after midnight when he finally arrived. Not that he was much use though! Turns out he thinks Voldemort is suspicious of him and so doesn't let him know much. He thinks Pettigrew has been asked to keep an eye on him!' Both frowned at the mention of the traitor and the atmosphere in the room dried even further, making the silence rather uncomfortable.

* * *

Harry was sat on the living room with Teddy. For the past hour, he had been rolling a ball across the floor so that Teddy could run across the room, retrieve it and bring it back to him.

'More!' Cried Teddy as he threw the ball at Harry's head.

'Ouch!' Harry chuckled as he picked up the ball and rolled it to the other side of the room. Teddy laughed and went after the ball but fell over the carpet as he did so. It would appear that unfortunately, Teddy had inherited Tonks' clumsiness.

The toddler began to cry so Harry heaved himself off of the floor and walked over to the boy. Picking him up, Harry began to hush soothing tones into his ear.

'Hey, it's alright kiddo. Look, it's your ball!' Harry pointed to the stripy ball and began to walk towards it; however, as he did so, he heard the muted voices of Tonks and Remus coming from the kitchen.

Picking up the ball, Harry moved nearer the door.

'Do we tell Harry?' he heard Tonks ask her husband.

There was a pause before Remus answered. 'No. We shouldn't. Albus is right. I think it would be best if Harry didn't know anything about the attack. If he did know about it, well, you know what Harry is like. He would go and fight even though he shouldn't. I think it may be safer if he just doesn't know. I can't lose him again Tonks! And besides, he still doesn't know that everyone knows he is living with us! I think we should let things calm down for a while before we tell him anything. You saw him recently when he left the house after we told him not too! I still can't believe he did that. Even after I had a go at him for visiting Fred and George! Why can't he get it into his head that it is dangerous out there? It's as if he wants to get himself killed!'

'He was only going out from some fresh air and to buy some food for us! He even got Teddy a new toy!' Tonks sighed at her husband's expression. 'Look, I think he just feels guilty for staying here, eating our food and not having to pay for it. He's not deliberately going out to find trouble!'

There was silence from the kitchen for a while. Meanwhile, Teddy, who was now sat on Harry's lap, was playing with a cuddly toy Hippogriff that Harry had got him. Meaningless baby gabble was all that could be heard for a couple of minutes.

'So, what's the plan then?' Remus interrupted the silence.

'Hmm? Oh, we are having people stationed around the main entrance to the ministry as well as some of the other more used entrances on Thursday around 4pm. They are to stay there until it gets too dark to see. The Death Eaters want to attack when there are not many people around. The aim is to stop anything serious from happening and if possible, capture a Death Eater so that we can question them and then hand them into the ministry. According to Severus, Lucius Malfoy has been ordered to Imperious high up ministry workers so that Voldemort can infiltrate the ministry more easily.'

'It all seems a bit much if all they want to do is Imperious some ministry workers, don't you think? What are our orders then?'

'Albus said we should wait until we've been called.'

'Oh! I see.' There was a pause. 'What are we going to do with Teddy and Harry?'

There was a longer silence as the couple thought of a way to keep Harry and Teddy away from the violence. 'We can take Teddy to my mum's. Harry won't be suspicious if we tell him that we are going to visit my mum. Once we're there, we wait until someone sends their patronus telling us they need back-up.'

* * *

Harry was in the house alone; Remus and Tonks had just taken Teddy to Tonks' mum's house. They had told him that they would probably be back late and that he shouldn't wait up for them but Harry knew what was really happening and had his own plans.

Once that he was sure that the coast was clear, Harry left the house and apparated to the centre of London. He felt incredibly guilty for doing so, knowing that if Remus and Tonks found out, they would be disappointed in him. Donning his father's invisibility cloak, Harry carefully made his way through London towards the Ministry of Magic. The area was eerily quite. Every so often a ministry worker would leave the building. Harry assumed that the Death Eaters were waiting for the person that they wanted to leave before making their presence known.

In his hiding place behind a large dustbin, Harry thought about what he was going to do. He didn't really know what he was doing there. He had gone against Remus and Tonks' wishes by getting involved with anything magical. They had told him that he should stay away from the magical community for a while, at least until they could find a way to prove his innocence; however, Harry could not sit back and relax at home when there was a fight going on, especially when a part of the fight was to do with him. Although he had not heard Tonks or Remus say that the attack was the Death Eaters attempt to find him, he knew that Draco Malfoy would not have gone to the trouble of finding him to tell him that there was an attack if Harry was not involved in it in some way.

Harry looked up and noticed a series of posters stuck to the wall. On closer inspection, he realised the face on all of the 'most wanted' posters belonged to him. Above his picture on the posters read 'The Wizarding World's Most Wanted!' and underneath was a reward for 10,000 galleons upon his capture given that he was still alive. He frowned at this. Why was Voldemort no longer the most wanted wizard in the world? After all, Voldemort had committed far worse crimes than the ones Harry was accused of. He sighed and made himself more comfortable, waiting on baited breath.

Harry had been sat behind the dustbin with his invisibility cloak still on for about ten minutes when he heard a series of small _pops_ indicating the apparition of several wizards; however, when he looked around the area, he did not see any wizards. He checked his watch. It was just passed four. The Order had arrived and, similarly to him, were hidden, waiting for the first move to be made by the other side.

Losing concentration as he sat tentatively, leaning on the wall for support, Harry's thoughts wondered to Ginny and what Fred and George had told him when he had visited them in their shop. He wondered if he would ever be able to tell her that he didn't curse her, that it wasn't him that hurt her. He wanted to see her smile again. He wanted to see the way her hair shone in the sun. He wanted to see the freckles that were littered across the bridge of her nose scrunch up as she thought hard about something. It was the little things about people that Harry had missed. Things that he had never thought about before until he went to Azkaban and thinking was all he could do.

Before Harry even noticed him, he had missed the man that left the ministry and walked only two metres from his hiding place, his thoughts still on the youngest Weasley. He was only brought out of his reverie by the loud cracks that emanated through the air, sending shivers up his spine.

Harry's mind seemed to slow down and before he had realised, the fight started; just like the time at the Department of Mysteries when he was fifteen. They had appeared out of nowhere and Harry found himself unable to think straight.

Increasing the grip on his wand, Harry stood up and precariously made his way out from behind the dustbin. His legs were incredibly wobbly underneath him and he stumbled forward slightly, a curse missing his face by inches.

Taking a deep breath, the raven walked towards the now growing fight, his wand at the ready.

Trying to keep a low profile, Harry kept close to the buildings as he passed them. If a curse was sent his way he would be more likely to find cover before it hit. As Harry looked around him he noticed many of the same Death Eater who were at the first attack and even some he had never seen before. They seemed a lot more confident in what they were doing this time though.

Harry peered over his shoulder when he heard a loud yell. Tonks had sent a stunning curse flying through the air at a Death Eater. The man flew across the road, almost crashing into a parked car that was only a few feet away from Harry. Not wanting Tonks to see him, he kept his head down and dashed over the road, swerving past a couple of cars, who's angry drivers were starting to get out of their vehicles, confusion etched onto their faces. Harry didn't know who it would be that had to obliviate all of them but he was glad it wasn't him.

Moody and Remus were together, fighting a Death Eater, throwing spell after spell. Unlucky for them, this Death Eater was skilled in shielding charms. Most of their spells simply bounced off and flew in their direction. This gave the man a clear opportunity to curse the two men as they were too busy ducking and diving their own spells. Remus got hit by a stinging hex and he grunted in pain but it didn't stop him.

Tonks had been watching her husband from the corner of her eye through out the whole fight, wanting to make sure he was alright. When she saw him bend over slightly in pain her hart jumped in her chest and she pelted over to him.

Harry watched the two of them together. She grabbed his arm but she shoved her away, trying to concentrate on defending himself from the Death Eater's curses. Realising that she was not wanted by her husband, she helped to fight the cloaked man off.

Harry spun around when a loud crack erupted from behind him. A Death Eater stood there, his wand raised and at the ready. Harry didn't know if it was yet another sent from Voldemort or if the man had simply apparated from one point to another.

Either way Harry wouldn't find out as with in a second the Death Eater lay on the ground, tied up in ropes up to his chin. Feeling rather proud of himself, Harry sneered down at the man before he cast Petrificus Totalus on him. His body went stiff and he ceased to struggle with the ropes around him.

Looking up at the ministry Harry noticed Kingsley and Dumbledore surrounded by a group of Death Eaters near the entrance of the building. Hem ran towards the jumble of people and began to fire spells at the Death Eaters backs. Many went flying as he cast Expelliarmus again and again. Dumbledore caught his eyes at one point and in that brief moment, Harry could see not only worry but relief too. Harry gave his old Headmaster a quick nod before dashing off to a couple of straggling Order members who were in need of help.

As Harry approached the two, he realised who they were. Ron and Hermione were only just managing to fight off the five Death Eaters who were creeping in on them. Ron had blood seeping through his left trouser leg and he hobbled slightly as he cast his shielding charms. Hermione looked only a little dishevelled. Her tied up hair was beginning to come loose from her pony-tail and it swirled around her face, blocking her view.

Only a second later a Death Eater appeared at their backs and was about to raise his wand when Harry stunned him from behind. The two both turned to stare at the man lying on the ground but not for too long. They were soon once again fighting the cloaked men, dodging curses as they flew in each direction.

However, Harry could see that they were still struggling to keep the Death Eaters at bay so he ran to Ron's left side, trying to protect him as well as help fight. Ron cast him a quick glance and Harry saw the look of amazement in his eyes. The two didn't talk but kept on fighting. Suddenly one of the Death Eaters apparated away, soon followed by two more. Harry turned around, watching as all over the place Death Eaters were disappearing one by one with a loud crack.

The fight was beginning to diminish and Harry noticed that the Order members were also apparating away, leaving only ministry workers, mostly aurors. Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione who were getting ready to apparate when a still lurking Death Eater shot a spell in the two's direction. Without thinking Harry shot a shielding charm over his old friends. The hex bounced off of the shield and hit Harry in the chest. His body lurched backwards and he stumbled, doubled over in pain.

Harry was about apparate away when he found himself flying across the street before slamming into a wall. Pain erupted from his head as he slid down the brick and he began to feel incredibly dizzy. Putting his hand to the back of his head, he felt a hot sticky substance in his hair. Bringing his hand back round, even without his glasses, which he had lost when he hit the wall, he could make out his blood covered fingers.

Taking deep breaths and trying to ignore the pain that resided in the back of his head and over his chest, Harry shakily stood up. He had not noticed the auror who had thrown the curse or indeed the curse itself. He took a couple of steps forward and could just about see his glasses lying on the floor a metre or so away. He stumbled towards the object on the floor and picked up his glasses when one hand smothered his mouth from behind and another caught him around the stomach. The hand around his middle held a wand that was pointing directly at his heart.

'You so much as move an inch and I will kill you!' A gruff voice whispered in his ear. When he did not respond, the man increased his vice like grip around Harry to the point where Harry felt as if he was going to throw up.

'You understand?' The wand was poked into his chest and he felt it burn through his shirt and onto his flesh. He winced as it scorched his bare skin. 'We've got the boy; let's go back to the ministry.' The man called aloud to small group of men who had formed a semi circle around Harry. 'When we're there, you're going to wish you were never born!' The auror hissed into Harry's ear.

'NOW!' The unknown man cried and Harry heard a series of _pops _before he felt himself being tugged into a small space as he and the man apparated away.

* * *

Yay! Another chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it!

Thank you to all of you who added this story as one of your favs! That made me happy!

Please review.


	12. Truth

Hi. This chapter is quite long! Yay!

I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Walking Free

_The Truth_

Dumbledore watched from afar as Moody and Kingsley shoved the unconscious Death Eater into a chair and magically bound him. The room slowly began to fill with Order members who had made their way from the fight. The last was Severus who strode into the room carrying a small vial of clear liquid.

'The Veritaserum you asked for Albus.' he said as he handed the vial to the headmaster.

'Thank you, my boy' Albus replied at the now scowling potions master.

'Enervate' Albus spoke softly; pointing his wand at the man slumped over in the chair. The effect of the spell was immediate as the once unconscious Death Eater woke up.

Realising that he was not in the company of other Death Eaters, the man began to struggle against the binds, cursing out loud when he realised that could not break his way out.

A hushed silence descended upon the room as the headmaster strode towards the captured Death Eater. Grabbing the man's chin and thrusting his head upwards, Albus poured the clear liquid into the Death Eater's mouth. They all watched in anticipation as the Death Eater swallowed the substance. The effects were instantaneous. The Death Eater visibly relaxed, his eyes became unfocused and he now sat hunched in the chair.

The headmaster stood in front of the tied man, his wand in hand, ready in case the Death Eater tried to escape. Mad-Eye Moody sat menacingly behind the man, as if daring him to move.

* * *

Pius Thicknesse was a very proud man. He was proud of all the work he had done, proud of all his success and the one thing that filled him with more pride than anything else, was his recent promotion to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. From the age of thirteen, Pius knew he was destined to work in the Ministry and nothing could stop him form succeeding in his dream. He was not a cruel man but he was willing to do some rather unpleasant things to get what he wanted. Marcus Judge, a well respected Ministry worker who had also been well qualified and up for the job had strangely found himself unable to attend the crucial interview with the current Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, as he had fallen sick with food poisoning from a rather vicious cupcake.

Pius had settled into his new role in the Ministry very well and he was thoroughly enjoying the extra office space allocated to him. Although he had to deal with some rather ill-mannered workers, for example Mr. Judge who had oddly taken a dislike to his knew boss, Pius was having a jolly good time.

He had only had the job for about a year thought, when he found that it was not all it cracked up to be. Only months after he had gotten the job, Pius had started getting the feeling that he was being watched. It was an odd feeling but he had gotten used to it as it had gone on for some time. It was when he had reached a year as Head that he was first contacted by Lord Voldemort.

Ever since that time Pius had had to be cautious of everything that he did. He didn't want anyone to know that he had been asked to join the dark side on numerous occasions. He had of course declined the offer and was surprise when Voldemort had not killed him. This however, caused yet more worry as Pius knew no one had ever denied the Dark Lord of what he wanted and gotten away with it. There would be revenge.

As soon as Pius Thicknesse had stepped outside the Ministry doors that evening, he knew that revenge was on its way.

The Death Eaters were on him in seconds and Pius had tried to fight them off but there were too many. He could see Aurors and the Order members running up and down the street, spells already flying through the sky, but with all the confusion they failed to realise that one of their own was being kidnapped.

As the Death Eaters apparated him away he felt regret and fear raging through his body. He had been foolish. He should have told someone that Voldemort had contacted him. He shouldn't have been so proud as to think that he could deal with it all himself. He needed help now more than ever.

* * *

Harry was forcefully slammed into a wooden chair in a small, dimly lit room. There were several aurors surrounding him, wands at the ready. His hands had been tied behind his back, his wand taken and his glassed shoved onto his nose.

'Alright lads. I think that'll be it, thanks.' Harry assumed the man speaking was the one that had caught him in the first place. The lesser aurors began to file out of the room, leaving the main man and two others. He recognised one of the men as a wizard guard of Azkaban.

'So Potter, why did you do it?' The man spat his name out as if it were a piece of filth.

'Huh? Do what?' Harry's head was pounding and he was sure that he had lost quite a bit of blood.

'Don't act stupid, boy! You know what you did! Now, tell me WHY you did it!'

Harry just stared at the man. He was thoroughly confused, in pain and just wanted to get back to Remus and Tonks' house. He knew that wasn't going to happen though. These aurors were going to get him thrown back into Azkaban.

'ANSWER ME!' screamed the man.

'Wha…' As Harry started to speak, the man jumped up from his seat, leant over the table that separated them and punched Harry forcefully in the face. Blood began to pour from Harry's nose and mouth.

'You're nothing more than a piece of shit! You killed two of our men and you try to deny it, eh? Well, you're going to pay!' And with that, the man chucked the table out of the way and pushed Harry's chair onto the floor. Harry landed painfully on his arm and tried to move but it was no use; his hands were tied around the back of the chair which left him with no arm movement. He watched as the tall auror approached, a malicious grin plastered on his face.

'I'll enjoy this boy!' he whispered as he put his shoe onto Harry's cheek. 'I think we all will!' It happened so fast that even if Harry had been able to move, he wouldn't have gotten out of the way fast enough.

The tip of the auror's hard shoe met Harry's stomach repeatedly as he kicked him with all of his force. Harry gasped the first time having been winded; however, when it continued, he couldn't get the breath into his lungs to cry out. Each blow was like a boulder being pelted down on him. The pain was agonising. Then the kicking in his stomach and abdomen ceased, only to be replaced by kicking to his head.

'Stop! Welsh, stop! You're going to kill him! WELSH!' Harry could just about make out one of the other aurors shouting as he lost consciousness.

* * *

'What is your name?' Albus tested the potion with a couple of simple questions.

'Rodolphus Lestrange' he replied with a glazed look in his eyes

'Are you a supporter of Lord Voldemort?'

'Yes'

'Alright, Albus! We get the idea! The potion is working so start asking the important questions!' Moody interrupted, obviously keen to hear what the Death Eater had to say.

Dumbledore did not look away from the bound man in the chair as he spoke to the ex-auror. 'All in good time, Alastor.' The headmaster took a step forward now only feet away from the Death Eater. 'Let us begin, shall we.'

The questioning was an extremely long process, order members interrupting on several occasions, asking their own questions to the captive. The hours drew on and the occupants of the room began to get more and more restless. Twice more during the intense questioning did Dumbledore administer more of the truth serum to Lestrange.

'Did you partake in the attempted infiltration of Death Eaters into the Ministry of Magic?'

'Yes'

'Why did Lord Voldemort wish to interfere with the ministry?'

'The Dark Lord wanted to have more correspondents within the ministry. He believed that he would be able to change opinions of him; to turn those who once fought against him into his followers. He wants to kill the Potter boy with your side watching. He wants to see your face when he murders the one who was thought to be the only wizard who could defeat him.'

There was silence after this answer. Although everyone knew that this was what Voldemort wanted, it was still disturbing to hear that it aloud.

Dumbledore moved on, 'Who was Lord Voldemort trying to convert?'

'The Dark Lord doesn't mind. He is of the opinion that anyone who agrees with his ways is a good follower.'

'Was there anyone in particular that Lord Voldemort wished to interfere with?'

'Yes, our master wanted to Imperious Pius Thicknesse. He is high up in the Ministry and would easily be able to provide the Dark Lord with anything he wished.'

'Is Lucius Malfoy not good enough for him then?' yelled Alastor Moody.

'The Dark Lord uses Lucius for other matters.'

'Like what?' the ex-auror spat out.

'Lucius is the main brains behind planning the attacks. He has extensive knowledge of the Ministry of Magic as well as the rest of the wizarding community and so, the Dark Lord wishes for him to focus on the most important tasks. The most recent being getting hold of the Potter boy.'

There was silence before Dumbledore spoke again, 'I believe that is all I had to ask. Is there anyone else who wishes to ask Rodolphus here any questions?'

The majority of the room shook their heads, other merely murmured 'no'; however, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind told Remus that the last comment made by the Death Eater had something more to it. With a loud voice, Remus spoke out, 'What do you mean getting Potter_? _Are there any other crimes that you have committed or know about that we do not know about?' Everyone in the room turned to him, questioning looks on their faces.

However, just like previous answers, the Death Eater could not stop what was coming out of his mouth and so he found himself spilling the some of Dark Lord's biggest secrets.

'Yes.' Rodolphus tried to stop the words but they seemed to slip effortlessly out of his mouth; all control was gone. 'Three and a half years ago, the Dark Lord commanded that we capture the Potter boy. He was adamant that he have the boy so he sent us on a mission. The mission was, on paper, a simple one; capture Potter and bring him to Malfoy Manor where he will be held until the Dark Lord finds a use for him; however, in practise, it was a lot harder and involved extensive planning and preparation. Bellatrix and I were the only people who knew about the mission. The Dark Lord had insisted that we did not allow anyone else, with the exception of Lucius Malfoy, to hear of the mission. If others had found out, there was a chance that they would have let slip in public and the plan would have not worked.'

'What did you do?' Moody questioned, anticipation evident in his voice.

* * *

Just as the sun was going down and the stars began to settle in the night sky, a group of men apparated in front of the tall iron gates of Malfoy Manor. Four of the men were hidden by dark cloaks while the fifth, a short, stout man, struggled under their grasps. They were obviously too strong as the four all but dragged the man behind them. The man's shoes grated across the long gravel path, scuffing and ripping the leather into shreds. As they reached the front door the short man noticed someone waiting in the door way. It was a young man, only twenty or so. He had startling white, blonde hair, slicked back over his head. He wore a smart, tight fitting suit, black as death and his face was set in a cold, distant glare. He seemed to barely notice the men as they passed, keeping his eyes set in front of him.

The men dropped the man and he tried to grab his wand from his pocket, only to realise that it was missing. Looking up he saw the young blonde man holding it in his hand. The man smirked, twiddling the wand between his bony fingers.

'Missing this?' he queried. 'Hmm, sorry but you won't be getting this back any time soon.'

Before the man could reply, the blonde man silenced him with a hand. He then indicated that the men should take him away. They dragged him through the huge house until they came to a small, dark wood door. Upon opening it the man stared down at the seeming endless staircase. It was narrow, precarious and highly dangerous. Only two of the four men took him down the stairs where they were met with another door, this one held by numerous locking spell and charms. The door finally clicked open and the man was shoved inside, the door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

Harry awoke to find himself in the same room he had been in before; however, the chair he was tied to was now back into its original position. He heard hushed voices somewhere nearby and raised his head to get a better look. Excruciating pain coursed through him as he moved his head, causing him to groan aloud. He noticed that blood covered his body and that he could not open his right eye properly.

Harry tried to move his torso, allowing him to sit up straight, gaining a better view of the room; however, as he did so a nasty ripping sound followed by an agonising scream travelled through the room.

At the yell of pain, the whispered tones stopped and a figure approached. Welsh sat down in the chair opposite Harry and drummed his fingers on the table. Moving his other hand towards Harry, he moved the boy's jacket revealing a rib that had punctured through the skin.

'Jeez, Jerry! You've bloody killed him! Wha…'

'I haven't killed him!' fumed the auror. 'A rib has punctured through the skin, that's all! Nothing he doesn't deserve!' The man spoke with a sadistic smile.

In a clam voice, Welsh started to speak, 'We are going to question you and then take you to Azkaban. You got that?'

Harry just grunted. He couldn't really do much else. His eyes watered from the pain. If he spoke he would pass out again from the strain of it. He could feel the hot, sticky blood flowing down his abdomen as he sat opposite the auror. He scrunched up his green eyes as a wave of nausea hit him. The other men in the room were speaking to him but he couldn't make out what they were saying. The room was spinning and became unfocussed. Black spots clouded his already poor vision as he tried to focus on the men.

Harry was conscious enough to hear a scraping sound fill the room and to feel the hand clamp itself onto his throat. The pain was going to kill him. He was going to die, he was sure of that. His vision turned black as he tried but failed to breathe. He was going to die and he wouldn't be able to see Teddy or Tonks again. He wouldn't be able to thank Remus for all of his help since he had escaped; he couldn't tell him how much Remus meant to him. That he had been a father figure to Harry. He wouldn't be able to tell Ginny that it wasn't him, that he didn't want to hurt her.

* * *

Rodolphus smirked, showing a set of darkening teeth, crooked and chipped. He gave a husky laugh, shaking his head, his smirk turning into a crazed grin.

'We snuck Lucius out of Azkaban; he had been in there because of what had happed between Potter and the Dark Lord in the department of mysteries. The Dark Lord believed that with Lucius' help, we would be more…' Rodolphus licked his lips in thought, rolling his blood-shot eyes. 'successful. It was fairly easy to get Lucius out of Azkaban. With everything that had gone on in the ministry and Fudge's resignation, security was not very tight. We told him of the mission and the Dark Lord's request that we three be the only to know of it and we let Lucius, being more knowledgeable about Potter, devise a plan. He knew that the brat's godfather, or something like that, had recently died, so there was probably going to be Order members near the boy when he came back from Hogwarts. We planned to stay hidden at the train station but still be able to hear any conversation held by known Order members as well as ones between Potter and his friends.

'The day the students came back from Hogwarts we stayed hidden in the station, but were close enough to hear a group of your side telling Potter's relatives that the boy was to write once every three days. If we hadn't have heard this, the plan probably wouldn't have worked. You would have realised something was wrong and come on a rescue mission; but luckily, we were organised.' Rodolphus stopped to take in air. He smiled to himself as he continued.

'When the boy and his family left the station, we stunned the relatives and wiped their memories before doing the same with the boy and taking him back to Malfoy Manor. The family went home thinking that the Potter boy had gone to a friends house for the summer.

'When we presented the boy to the Dark Lord, he was so pleased. His plan had worked and he rewarded us for our hard work!' Again, the Death Eater smiled, letting a laugh of joy escape his lips.

'What did Lord Voldemort want with Harry?' Dumbledore intercepted.

Rodolphus snapped his mouth shut and glared at the headmaster. 'The Dark Lord had been desperate during the past year to hear the prophecy which told of a wizard who could defeat him.' he growled. 'When he did not succeed in getting the prophecy, he gave us the mission to capture the boy so that the Dark Lord could question him. When we gave Potter to the Dark Lord, he questioned him vigorously for hours about the prophecy.'

Severus frowned at this; he knew what it meant to be questioned by Voldemort. The Dark Lord had no patience and easily resorted to the Cruciatus Curse when an answer displeased him. He wished this treatment on no-one, even the retched Boy-Who-Lived.

'The questioning lasted a while but the boy did not give in. He remained loyal to your side and kept his mouth shut! Bloody brat!' hissed the Death Eater.

This was like a stab in the heart for Albus. Even after hours of torture by Voldemort, he still had not given in. Harry belonged to them and Albus should never have questioned that.

'What happened then?'

'The Dark Lord grew frustrated and changed plans. He ordered Severus to prepare a Polyjuice Potion which would allow one of us to change into the boy. Severus did so without questions and the Dark Lord, who had gotten fed up of the boy, gave him to Bellatrix, Lucius and myself, after plucking several of his hairs out for the potion.'

Severus closed his eyes and groaned internally; he remembered the Dark Lord ordering him to do this and had thought nothing of it at the time. He had stupidly not thought about what exactly it would be used for, even though it was obvious. Severus never though that he would feel guilt and pity towards the boy, never in his life.

'What did you three do with Harry after that?'

'The boy was taken down to the basement in the manor where Bella had prepared treats for him. The Dark Lord was very gracious and permitted us to torture the boy as long as no lasting damage was done.'

Dumbledore interrupted, his voice was pained as he asked the next question, 'Who was _us_? Who tortured Harry?'

Rodolphus smiled manically and let out a laugh, 'The Dark Lord let every Death Eater in the building have a go, as well as a few others. He even got Lucius' brat of a son to take a crack at it!' He cackled at this before continuing, 'Lucius' boy was a complete mess for a couple of days that! He is not Death Eater material!' He frowned before continuing. 'Potter was a wreck by the end of the week!' He let out another cackle before his face turned serious, 'We nearly forgot to make him send a letter with his ruddy owl every third day because we were having so much fun!'

The headmaster's voice was strained as he asked the next question, 'I thought you had to keep him hidden? Did the other Death Eaters not realise who it was they were torturing?'

'We made sure that the prisoner was not left alone with someone who did not know of the plan. A bag was also placed over his head when he was being tortured by anyone other than Bellatrix, Lucius or myself so that his identity was kept a secret.'

The Potions Master felt sick to his stomach. He had tortured his own pupil; he tortured a sixteen year old boy. He clearly remembered that day. He remembered walking through the atrium of Malfoy Manor before passing a thoroughly distressed Draco and down into the dingy basement area of the house. The smell of blood that hit him when he entered the room where the boy was kept had stayed with him all of these years. Then there was the small body, tied up with ropes at the end of the room, slumped against the wall. The cloth bag that surrounded the captives face had intrigued Severus; he had never seen the Dark Lord do this before, but who was he to question him.

Albus turned slightly to look at Severus Snape. The man had gone incredibly pale which suggested that Albus' thoughts that Severus had been one of the Death Eaters to torture poor Harry appeared correct. As much as it pained him, and by the looks of it, the Potions master as well, everyone had a right to know what had been done to Harry, so he asked yet another question.

'What did this torture involve?'

Rodolphus continued as if he had not stopped, 'We used the Unforgivables on him as well as some muggle techniques. Bellatrix was particularly fond of the knife whereas Lucius' favourite was submerging the boy's head under ice cold water for a minute or so before allowing him to resurface for breath. In my opinion though, the shackles and the whip were by far the most productive! We tied him to the wall using the shackles and used a muggle whip to hit him! Ingenious really!'

There were cries after this statement. Mrs Weasley, Ginny and Hermione were all crying. Snape had gone even paler than was physically possible whilst Ron, Tonks, Lupin and the rest of the room looked like they were going to be sick.

'The scars!' moaned Remus quietly to himself. He and Tonks had been the only two to see the results of the torture and it had made them feel queasy; however, hearing about the torture first hand hit home the damage that had been caused.

Severus had not needed to hear most of what Lestrange had just said. He had not forgotten the shackles that had been bolted to the wall or the large basin of water.

The room remained silent for minutes; no one able to talk after what they had just heard. Finally, Kingsley asked a question.

'How often did you do that to him?'

'It continued everyday for about a month; until the Polyjuice Potion was ready. The Dark Lord also requested to see the boy every few days to question him; to see if he had cracked under the torture.'

'And did he?' Kingsley's deep voice interrupted.

'No.' Rodolphus sighed, as if being asked about a boring day at work. 'Never. It was not just about the prophecy either. The Dark Lord asked Potter about the Order of the Phoenix. He wanted to know who was in the group, who he was fighting against. The boy's lack of response made the Dark Lord so angry. The boy did not seem scared of the Dark Lord either. He did not respect him like we do so the Dark Lord tried to make him realise what happens to those who do not respect him.'

Rodolphus paused for a moment before continuing, 'The Dark Lord also helped the boy write the letters to the Order. That was very entertaining to watch!'

'What?' Cried several members. The idea of someone openly taking pleasure out of Harry being tortured horrified everyone in the room.

'I think we have heard enough of that.' Dumbledore spoke loudly having regained composure. 'What did you do with the Polyjuice Potion once it had been made?'

'The Dark Lord wanted us to capture the old wand-maker, Ollivander, so that a new wand could be made for him. The plan was to take Potter to Diagon Alley with us during the mission and create a ruckus. During a small fight, we would frame Potter; make your side believe he was capable of murder and such and therefore send him to Azkaban so that the Dark Lord would not have to worry about killing Potter for a while. He thought that there was still a chance to hear the prophecy.'

'What has this got to do with the potion?' snapped Moody who had become quite impatient.

'The hair we took from Potter when he first arrived was put in the potion and Lucius drank it; therefore changing into the boy. We knew that by the time we had finished with him, the boy would not be able to pull off attacking someone so we got Lucius to do it. Lucius, now disguised as Potter, apparated to Diagon Alley with the rest of the group and started a fight. Just as expected, your lot came quickly and began to fight back. In front of everyone, Lucius killed the two aurors and tortured that Weasley girl. Once he had done this, he moved into the back of the Death Eater group where he was hidden from view. From there, he apparated back to the Manor, Obliterated the real Potter and brought him back to Diagon Alley. Once this had been done, we got the wand-maker and were ready to leave. We disapparated, leaving the boy with a group of people who had just seen him kill two people and attack another.' The Death Eater paused for breath.

'It was easy, if not a bit chaotic. Everyone was so wrapped up in what happened, they didn't notice a perfectly normal Potter disappear to be replaced by one who looked like death!' he let out a bark like laugh. 'The boy could barely stand and you were still convinced that he had murdered those aurors!'

'Some of us noticed' Remus spoke out. 'I thought something was wrong at the time.'

'Not like you could do anything about it, _werewolf!_' spat the Death Eater.

'Enough' Intervened Dumbledore, his voice calm yet controlling.

'Headmaster, I believe the potion is beginning to cease being affective.' spoke Severus Snape quietly from behind Dumbledore.

'We will take you to the ministry where you will be taken to court and convicted for your involvement with Lord Voldemort.' Albus turned to Kingsley and Mad-Eye, 'If you would not mind?' he asked gesturing to the Death Eater.

The two men nodded and grabbed hold of Lestrange, carting him off towards the fire place where they could floo to the ministry. Once the green flames had vanished, the Headmaster turned towards Tonks and Remus, a sad smile flickered on his lips as he thought about the result of their discovery.

'I believe that it is time we find young Harry so that we can tell him of our…' Dumbledore was interrupted by a silver Lynx Patronus which had appeared in the middle of the room. It spoke seven words with Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice before dissolving.

'The ministry has captured Potter. Come quickly!'

* * *

**Allen Pitt- **It's really scary how good you are at guessing what happens next. I had this chapter planned and written for ages and then you figured out what would happen! :)

**Caelhir- **Thank you for reviewing. I'm glad that you like my ideas. I really appreciate the encouragement. :) Please review.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed but more feedback would be great.


	13. At the Ministry

Hello! Sorry i took a while, i had a lot to write for this one.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_At the Ministry_

Harry's head lolled forward, his body becoming limp. He was exhausted, so much so that he could barely feel the pain in his head and chest anymore. His eyes lids drooped as he slid down slightly in the chair.

Welsh's hand tightened around Harry's neck as he continued to yell; but Harry couldn't hear him. He could only focus on the fact that he couldn't breath. His vision started to blur and he could tell that he was about to pass out again when the door slammed open, revealing two tall men.

The squeezing around his neck stopped and Harry greedily gulped in the air around him. To his horror, he could taste his own blood in his mouth. He was oblivious to his surroundings as he tried to relax his body and mind after what had just happened; however, he noticed that the three aurors were now tied up and bound and that his hands had been freed from behind his back.

One of the two men kneeled down in front of him and through his good eye, he could make out Albus Dumbledore.

'Harry, my boy! Harry, can you hear me? Are you alright?'

Harry tried to reply with 'Yes, I'm fine!', but all that came out was a gruff and scratchy 'yeah.'

'Stay here, Harry. I am going to try to sort out this mess, okay?' The headmaster turned away from Harry and moved towards the door. 'Kingsley, can you help him?'

'Yes Albus. Where are you going?'

'I am going to try and make the minister see sense. I want to try and get Harry freed!'

Albus disappeared from the room and Kingsley helped Harry up from his chair. Harry cried out in pain and instinctively clutched at his ribs. Within seconds his fingers were laced with blood that seeped through his t-shirt. As adrenaline ceased to course through his body, the pain became more pronounced.

'Don't worry, Harry.' Kingsley said quietly, 'We'll have you healed as soon as we can.' The tall man scooped Harry up then gently laid him down on the hard floor in the middle of the room. Harry grunted in pain, his forehead covered in a think layer of sweat. 'It's okay, Harry. Just relax now.'

'That boy deserves to _die!_' hissed Welsh from the opposite end of the room.

'QUIET!' Kingsley shouted, sending a spell flying at the man. Welsh fell unconscious, his head hitting the wall with a loud bang. The other two aurors were smart enough not to utter a word but Kingsley still tightened the ropes around them.

Over half an hour later Albus finally came back, a healer from St. Mungo's behind him. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, his chest wheezing loudly.

'Oh, the poor boy.' cried the healer. 'Look at the state he's in!' She hurried to Harry's side, shoving Kingsley out of the way. After a quick inspection of Harry's wounds she began to cast numerous healing charms whilst she dug around in her medical bag. Once she retrieved the bottle she uncorked it and poured some into a glass cup. Tilting Harry's head back she tipped the liquid into his mouth. At first Harry was cautious, not wanting to take the poison. He still had no idea why they were helping him. He had thought that they might give him something to knock him out for a while so they could get him to Azkaban. However, after some encouragement from the three people around him, Harry slowly swallowed the poison. He waited to see if he would fall unconscious but nothing happened. He actually found himself feeling less drowsy. The healer held her wand over his chest and cast a few more charms before he heard a quiet click.

'Wha- what was that?' he asked, worried.

'Oh, nothing. Just your snapped rib popping back into place. I gave you a poison to stop the pain but your ribs will be a little sore for a while. Try not to over exert yourself. Get some rest.'

'I'm afraid he won't be getting too much of that for a while.' Albus said. 'I spoke to Scrimgeour, and he is unwilling to give Harry a trial but I managed to convince him; however, he refuses to let Harry leave the ministry. He thinks that if he leaves he might try to run away again.' Albus turned to Harry, kneeling down towards him with a small frown. 'I am afraid, my boy, you will have to stay in one of the ministry rooms tonight. I have arranged it so that the trial will be first thing in the morning, so just try to relax and get as much rest as you can. I will inform Remus and Nymphadora of your condition. I am sure they are fraught with worry!'

Harry heard the door to the interview room door open again as another figure walked in.

'That is enough!' The voice was quiet yet it held an air of importance.

Dumbledore stood up to confront the intruder. 'Rufus, thank you for your cooperation.'

The Minister of Magic brushed away this comment and turned to the healer who was hovering over Harry.

'I said that is enough. The boy is fine.'

'What? Have you not seen him minister? He is obviously not ...'

'You will leave the boy.' Scrimgeour's voice echoed around the room as he interrupted the small woman.

'Rufus, please see sense.' Dumbledore implored. 'If Harry is left like this, he will not be able to attend the trial tomorrow. It is of the up most importance that he is well enough to plead his case.'

Scrimgeour just stared down at the bloodied man on the floor. 'You will leave the boy as he is. I have agreed to this trial and have graciously given you until tomorrow morning to gather your evidence. The boy will be taken to a cell in which he will stay the night. He will not be allowed visitors in that time.' The minister looked up from Harry to the tied up aurors in the far corner. 'Dawlish!'

A tall man wearing dark robes entered the room at the minister's call. 'Take him to a cell. He is to be locked in there until tomorrow morning.'

The occupants of the room all watched as the auror, Dawlish, helped Harry up to his feet. Harry, dizzy, confused and in a lot of pain, swayed as he was pulled up. Coughing as he stood blood dribbled from his parted lips and trickled down his chin. He hadn't noticed it until now but sometime during his earlier beating Harry had bitten his tongue.

'Really, minister! I must insist that this boy receive more medical attention!' However, the healer's plea was ignored by the minister as he left the room behind Dawlish who was practically dragging Harry with him.

The headmaster stood in silence; his bright blue eyes, although tinged with sadness, held a sense of hope.

* * *

Harry was unceremoniously dumped onto the small bed in the corner of the cell. He did not have the energy to move from his position. Upon hearing the door slam shut, Harry closed his eyes and groaned.

Once he had controlled his laboured breathing, Harry wiped a hand over his face, trying to remove the blood. After rubbing his bloodied hand down his torn jeans, Harry rolled onto his right side, away from the wall. He carefully manoeuvred his sore and bruised body so that he could get a better look at the room. The walls were painted grey and were bare. There were no windows, meaning that the only light came from the lights above his head. As he turned onto his back his thoughts travelled back to his time in Azkaban. Being trapped in a small room with nothing in it other than a tattered old cot with a dirty mattress sent goose bumps up his arms; however, at least there were no dementors. He could lie hear without the fear that he was going to hear his mother's scream as she died.

Time passed slowly in the cell. At least it felt slow to Harry. He was nervous about the trial. What was Dumbledore thinking? How was he going to get out of this mess? What would he say if they asked him anything about that day three and a half years ago? He couldn't remember a thing! Harry's stomach churned uncomfortably as he tried to force himself to sleep. Just before his exhausted body slipped into oblivion, his mind focused on the only comforting memory he could find.

_Ginny's long red hair billowed behind her as she flew through the air, her cheeks glowing rosy pink. She looked over her shoulder at Harry, grinning widely as he __chased her on his broom. She then swept off, laughing with glee. _

* * *

Professor Dumbledore walked around the circular court room, his twinkling blue eyes never leaving the yellow orbs of the minister of magic. This was the second, and hopefully the last, time that he was in court defending the boy he felt was like a grandson to him.

'Dumbledore, I don't have all day!' Cried Scrimgeour from his seat above the headmaster.

'All in good time, minister.' he calmly replied as he turned his head towards the doors of the court room. He smiled as Mad-Eye Moody dragged Rodolphus Lestrange into the centre of the room, the latter's hands were bound tightly and he was thrown into the questioning chair.

'May I present, minister, Mr Lestrange. He has been a key member in our argument today. I can only hope that the evidence he provides this morning, will be of use to this case.'

The minister looked at Dumbledore with wide eyes. 'How? Wha-Why? What has he got to do with anything?' Scrimgeour spluttered.

'Mr Lestrange, here, is a death eater, as I am sure you already know. He is known to be one of Lord Voldemort's most trusted supporters and one can therefore assume that he has access to vital information about the Dark Lord and his activities.' Albus turned away from the minister and towards the ex-auror. 'Alastor, if you please.'

The members of the court watched on baited breath as Moody tipped a vial of Veritaserum into the Death Eater's mouth.

'What! You can't do that! That is illegal, Dumbledore!' Scrimgeour stood up and leant across the desk as the liquid fell into the man's mouth.

'Minister, if you would just let us show you what we have found out.'

'I, oh, very well, but this better be good.'

To this, the aged headmaster just smiled. 'I believe that this will not be a waste of your time.'

The questioning began, much as it had yesterday evening. Rodolphus Lestrange found himself revealing the Dark Lord's secrets for a second time in less than twenty-four hours. The room audibly gasped as the death eater went into specific details about Harry's treatment during his stay at Malfoy Manor, three and a half years ago. Several of the women, including Hermione, Tonks and Molly Weasley, found themselves sobbing into their partner's laps. Ron's faced had been drained of all colour as he heard, in more depth, what Harry had been through that summer. He thought what he heard last night was bad; however, as the death eater continued, he felt bile rise up his throat.

* * *

Draco Malfoy ran a hand through his blonde hair, sighing tiredly. Working on both sides per se, was hard work. For as long as he could remember, Draco had known about the division between the dark side and the light, the good and the bad and he had always known which side he was to be apart of. Without being given the chance to decide for himself, Draco was forced into the side of 'evil' as some preferred to call it. It wasn't that Draco wanted to be on the light side as apposed to the dark; it was simply that he didn't want to be involved at all. Draco didn't want to have to choose which side to follow. He wanted to go his own way and get away from all the mess that surrounded him. He had neither time nor patience for the rubbish that the Dark Lord spewed all day and Dumbledore was no better. They were both all coots and Draco was tired of the two of them.

When Draco was younger he had looked up to his father and though him to be such a great man. He had hopped that when he was older, he could be just like his father, brave, strong and powerful. It was soon apparent though that his father was not all Draco thought he was. Lucius Malfoy was a pathetic, cruel, sadistic man who followed orders from a crazed fool. Without a word Lucius would fulfil each and every order, hoping to please his master. He was just like a little puppy, following its owner around until it was given a treat. He lapped up every word the Dark Lord said, agreed with all his ideas and plans and willingly ruined his own families' life, just to make the bloody man happy. Draco had once thought that his father was only working for the Dark Lord to make things better for him and his mother, but Draco soon realised his mistake.

Draco had never been more scared in his life. His father had come to him one evening without warning, and told him very bluntly what was to happen. It was time. It was time for Draco to join the Dark Lord. Lucius had not uttered one word of comfort to his son, nor told him how to prepare himself. Draco was left to worry alone in his room. He had stayed up all night, fear eating at his insides. Despite the fact that his father had told him never to cry, Draco couldn't help the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He cried silently for himself for all of thirty seconds when another terrifying though came to him. What would happen to his mother? She hated that Lucius was working so closely to the Dark Lord and she often turned to Draco for comfort when her husband was away. How was she going to cope without Draco there to help her? She was the only thing in Draco's life that he loved anymore. His father, who had once been his idol, was merely a distant memory to him now. Draco had never thought that he could hate his father but that night, subconsciously, Draco had emotionally separated himself from the man. It only occurred to him now that since he had forcibly received the Dark Mark; Draco had stopped referring to Lucius as his father.

Bringing his mind back from the past, Draco wandered down the corridors of the manor until he came to the dungeon. Two Death Eaters stood by the door at the top of the stairs, guarding the entrance. Draco nodded to them and they stood aside. Draco strolled down the stairs towards the second door. Another Death Eater stood at the door his wand held tight.

'It's only me, Rookwood. Let me through.' The young Death Eater removed that locking charms on the door to let the youngest Malfoy passed.

The dark room smelt of sweaty bodies and blood, and the smell hit Draco quite suddenly as he entered the dungeon. He would have to speak to Lucius about it later. Slipping his wand from his pocket, Draco cast _Lumos_ across the room. He heard a small intake of breath from the other side of the room. Pius Thicknesse sat against the wall, shielding his eyes from the light.

'Don't hurt me.' he called out, sounding oddly calm and serious. 'You'll regret it, trust me.'

Draco scoffed, smirking at the man on the floor. 'Why should I believe you? I may be young but I'm not an idiot. Anyway, calm yourself. I'm not here to hurt you.'

Pius looked scornful. 'Like you said, why should I believe you?'

Draco laughed out loud. 'Oh, I like you. You've got guts, Thicknesse, unlike some.'

'What, like you?'

Draco said nothing, simply raising an eyebrow. _'Yeah, something like that.'_

'Why am I here?' Pius asked impatiently. Draco could see that the man was incredibly determined and brave but he didn't miss the flash of fear in his eyes whenever Draco twiddled his wand in his fingers.

'I'll ask the questions, if you don't mind.' Draco stepped up closer to the man and slid his wand back into his pocket. 'Do you know why you are here?'

Pius glared at the blonde, scrutinising him. Taking a deep breath the man shook his head.

'You are high up in the ministry and are well known. You are respected by many people and you are a very clever man. You know exactly how to get want you want and will go to nearly any length to get it. Just like that stunt you pulled to get your current job. Remember that?' Pius frowned, glaring at Draco.

'What does this have to do with why I'm here?'

'Now, now Pius, calm down.' Draco said in a patronising tone. 'I'm getting to that. The Dark Lord thinks that you could be very useful to him. He needs a way to get further into the ministry and you are just what he needs. He plans to_ Imperius_ you making you do exactly what he wants. You are his leverage to get into the ministry. He will then use you to turn people against Dumbledore and turn to the Dark Lord. After a short while, if all goes to plan, the whole ministry would be on his side. Hmm, sounds lovely doesn't it?'

'Why are you telling me this? You're on his side too. Surely you should not be letting all that information slip.'

Draco chuckled. 'I don't remember ever telling you that I'm on the Dark Lord's side. What would possibly make you assume such a thing?'

Pius growled. 'Don't mess with me, Malfoy!'

'Hey,' Draco snatched out his wand again, pointing it at the man. 'Less of the attitude or I'm not going to help you.'

Pius swallowed hard, lowering his eyes. Draco watched him, a smirk spreading across his face. 'Help me how?'

The blonde stood and turned away. When he reached the door he looked back over at the man. 'You'll see.'

* * *

For the third time in his life, Harry found himself sat in the middle of a court room; everyone's attention on him. His handcuffed hands became clammy as his defenders spoke to the jury. He was struggling to concentrate on what they were saying as his own thoughts began to dominate. _What if they think I'm guilty? I'll have to go back to Azkaban. There'll be no way out this time. No Malfoy to give me a portkey. No way of escape._

Harry looked up as his defender finished speaking. With a jolt, he realise that it was Dumbledore who had been speaking for him. His head ached and he could not make sense of what was going on. He was still in pain from the previous evening's activities and was in desperate need of a pain potion. Scrimgeour, who was sat in the centre of the jury, stared at Harry for a moment before turning his face to his right to speak to Kingsley.

They deliberated for what felt like hours to Harry as he sat in the hard chair, sweat dripping off his forehead. Finally, the minister spoke; his voice erupted over the room like a gunshot.

'All of those in favour of conviction raise your hand.' To his relief, only ten or so people raised their hands, including a familiar woman with a toad like face. Harry frowned at his old defence against the dark arts teacher. He should have realised that Dolores Umbridge would come to try to send him back to Azkaban. He watched as she lowered her floral pink sleeve and realised that Scrimgeour had spoken again.

'All of those in favour dropping all charges, raise you hand.'

Ginny watched the jury as the majority voted for Harry's freedom. She let out a sigh of relief but in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake off the image of Harry pointing his wand at her and whispering _crucio._ She could still remember the pain that came with that one word. The feeling that you were being stabbed over and over again. She was brought out of her reverie by the minister's voice.

'The accused has been found innocent of all charges.' The minister spoke to the room as he announced Harry's freedom. A cheer erupted around Ginny as all of Harry's supporters stood up and applauded the boy's liberty. The minister then spoke directly to Harry, his yellow eyes meeting Harry's green orbs.

'On behalf of the ministry, I would like to give my deepest apologies to you, Mr Potter. I am ashamed of the ministry and of everyone else who believed that you could ever have commit such vulgar crimes. On behalf of the ministry, I would like to give you a full pardoning and I hope that you can pardon us all for our mistake.'

Ginny watched Harry as Scrimgeour spoke. He frowned when the minister began to apologise so openly. His unbelieving expression showed that he did not believe a word the man was saying. She had to agree with him. The minister was most likely not sorry about what had happened at all. He probably felt the need to apologize here, in public where there were witnesses, so that the ministry could move on as quickly as possible. To her left, her mother blew her nose into a handkerchief, tears running down her round face.

'That poor boy.' she practically wailed but no one but Ginny heard because of the cheering. 'Three years in Azkaban and it turns out he was innocent. And to think I helped him get there. He was only sixteen at the time! How could I have thought such a gentle and kind boy would do that to my own daughter!' Molly Weasley continued to wail but Ginny stopped listening, her attention back on Harry. He had stood up, albeit rather shakily, and was getting his hand restraints removed. This was the first time she had seen him properly in more than three years. He had grown considerably and was no longer scrawny like he had been in childhood. He was still thin but he had lost the underfed look although she had to look past the bruises and cuts scattered across his body to see this.

Ginny's eyes followed Harry as he was escorted from the court room. She felt a pang in her heart as she watched him go. She wanted to reach out to him. She felt guilty as she realised what she had done. She hadn't believed him when he said he hadn't attacked her. She had ignored his pleas and had sent him to Azkaban. For a month after he had been sentenced, she had cried herself to sleep, knowing what she had done. Although she did not know of his innocence at the time, it felt wrong to send him to the place that held the creatures that he feared the most; the place that would bring back so many horrific memories. When she had returned to Hogwarts after his sentence, she realised how much she missed him. She saw how Ron and Hermione had suffered without their third companion. She felt completely alone without him.

'Oh, did you see him? He's so grown up, not the tiny little boy anymore.' Mrs Weasley was still crying into her handkerchief. 'What have I done?' she wailed.

'Mum, will you just shut up!' Ginny finally snapped.

'O-oh!'

* * *

Yay! Another chapter! Please review.

I love Mrs Weasley. She is so funny!

**LeprechaunJV- **I bet they did feel bad. Actually, more stupid than sad. Welsh scares me. I think he needs some help. I hope you liked this chapter. :)

**Allen Pitt- **It will be a bit awkward for Ron, Hermione etc. and Harry might have trouble forgiving them. But they didn't know that he was innocent at the time so it's not all their fault. Anyway, i hoipe you enjoyed this update. Please review! :)

**Caelhir- **I felt bad for him too. Poor Harry! Harry, Ron and Hermione are actually all nineteen now. Harry went to prison after fifth year, when he was sixteen. Ron and Hermione left Hogwarts about a year ago. Sorry if i didn't make that clear before. Thank you for reviewing! I really appreciate your comments. :)


	14. Owie

Hi! Sorry it's been a while!

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Owie_

Harry stumbled over his own feet as Dumbledore led him through the large double doors. As soon as they opened, Harry's face was assaulted by flashing lights, blinding him momentarily. It seemed that every photographer from each newspaper, magazine and news article was there; ready to snap a shot of the newly freed 'Golden Boy'.

Harry groaned inwardly. He didn't want all this attention at the best of times, and right now, all he wanted to do was sleep for a week. He bent his head down and ignored all the calls of his name. Some people began to grab at his arms to get his attention but he shrugged them off. He could hear Dumbledore calling him to come back but Harry refused to listen. He pushed past the crowd and barged out of the Ministry. Once he was outside, Harry hid himself down an ally-way before apparating away.

'Harry? Harry my boy, where are you?' Dumbledore called out.

'I think he left.' Remus said from behind. Albus spun around to face the man. 'I saw him leaving the building. He most likely apparated away.'

Remus turned around when he heard his name from across the room. He stood on his toes and spotted the Weasleys and Hermione coming their way. 'Remus, Remus dear, Remus where's Harry?' Mrs. Weasley asked, her voice thick with emotion.

'Urm…' Remus looked around for his wife and smiled when he spotted her. She snuggled up to his side and he wrapped an arm around her. 'I'm not sure. I think he apparated off somewhere. He just needs some time to himself. I'm sure he'll come back soon though.'

Molly nodded, another round of tears spilling from her eyes. Arthur pulled her into a hug, rubbing soothing circles on her back. 'I think it's time for all of us to go home. I'm sure we'll see Harry in a few days.' Ron looked doubtful but nodded, taking Hermione's hand in his. The family left the ministry, leaving Remus, Tonks and Albus surrounded by photographers.

'We better go.' Remus said, taking Tonks' hand.

'Yes, my boy.' Albus said, patting Remus on the shoulder. 'Look after him, won't you? I find myself afraid that too much damage has been done to fix his relationship with the Wizarding World. I don't know if the boy will ever be able to forgive us.'

* * *

The front door closed with a small click as Tonks placed Teddy on the floor. The toddler had been at his grandmother's house for the morning whilst his parents had attended Harry's trial. Remus sighed as he placed his coat on the hanger and followed his wife and son into the little kitchen.

Teddy made a beeline, on somewhat wobbly legs, for the toy box in the corner of the brightly lit room. Grabbing hold of the cuddly toy Harry had bought for him, he promptly stuffed it into his mouth. The werewolf laughed as he watched the toddler before turning to his wife.

'I thought he would be here.' he said with a sigh.

'Maybe he's upstairs. He looked pretty awful earlier. He might have wanted to get some rest!'

'Yeah, maybe. I'll go look.'

Turning out of the room, Remus slowly made his way upstairs. As he reached the landing, he could see that the door to Harry's room was open a jar. Creeping up to the door, the man slowly pushed it open. He let out the breath he had been holding and smiled when he looked into the room. Harry had unceremoniously thrown himself onto the bed and was currently lying on his stomach fast asleep. On closer inspection, the smile slid off Remus' face as he realised the condition Harry was in.

He turned his head towards the corridor and shouted down to his wife. Within seconds, he heard the familiar thumping on the stairs as Tonks climbed up them, Teddy resting on her hip. As she spotted Harry, she smiled.

'Well, at least we found him, eh? Better bruised than dead!' She said cheerfully.

'Awwy!' cried the toddler as he pointed at the teen on the bed! 'Awwy!' He cried again as he tried to leave his mother's grip.

'Yes Teddy! Owie! He is owie! He has lots of owie! Well done!' she cooed to her son as he continued to struggle out of her grasp. She stopped when her husband gave a snort of laughter.

'What? It's good to encourage him!'

'He's saying _Harry_, Tonks. Not owie!'

'Oh!' She replied, nonplussed, finally placing the boy on the floor and watching him as he stumbled towards the sleeping teen. He smiled at Harry before pointing to a particularly nasty bruise on the side of the teen's head and turning to his parents.

'Owie!' he said sadly.

At this, both Remus and Tonks burst into laughter, which in turn, woke the slumbering teen.

* * *

Draco watched the man from across the room, a small smile gracing his lips. His wand was already held gently in his hand, ready. Lucius sat beside his son, keeping an eye on him the whole time. He was slightly surprised at how calm Draco seemed to be. Draco never caused a fuss when asked to do a job by the Dark Lord, but he was never this relaxed about it. Maybe his son had finally grown up and stopped being afraid of taking on a challenge.

At the head of the long table, Voldemort sat, his snake wrapped around him, gazing round at all of his followers. When his eyes fell on Draco, a cruel grin split his lips. He bared his teeth and almost hissed as he whispered Draco's name. The young man met his stare, an almost unnoticeable nod passed between the two. Draco stood and walked around the table to stand in front of the man sitting against the wall. All eyes followed him as he approached Pius Thicknesse, pulling his wand out from his pocket.

As Draco raised his wand, Voldemort cut in. 'Pius, how nice of you to join us.' Draco rolled his eyes, but having his back to the Dark Lord, he didn't notice. 'You will be of much assistance, as I'm sure young Malfoy has explained to you. Go on then, Draco, don't keep us all waiting.'

'Certainly, my Lord.' The blonde raised his wand arm again, pointing it straight at Pius. Just as the word sat on Draco's lips, he raised a single, slender eyebrow. 'Imperio.'

If you didn't know what the curse was supposed to do, you would have thought that it had no affect on the man. Pius sat perfectly still in his seat, his body relaxed. The only thing that had changed was his eyes. They had become wide, his pupils growing to twice their normal size.

'Well done, Draco. Now, tell him what he needs to do.' Voldemort hissed, petting Nagini on the head.

'You are to use your position in the Ministry of Magic to persuade Ministry officials to join the side of the Dark Lord. However, you must be careful. You must go about your daily routine, act as you would normally and don't attract too much attention to yourself. Another thing, never mention this to anyone. You were never here; you were never taken by Death Eaters. If anyone questions you about your absence, give them an excuse. I don't care what you tell them as long as it's plausible. Do you understand?' Pius gave a single nod, his eyes fixed on Draco's. Draco smiled and turned to face Voldemort. The man pulled his lips forward, eyes forming a glare. Draco's smile grew into a sly grin. He turned back to face Pius and added, 'Oh, and if you mess up, the will be no hope for you.'

'Take him away now, Malfoy. Let him go, he knows what he must do.' Draco nodded and released Pius from the chair. Draco ordered Pius to follow him, and the man did so. When Draco reached the door, he turned back and bowed down.

'My Lord.'

Pius watched as Draco did this, and after a quick glance from the blonde, he also bent at the waist in a bow. 'My Lord.' he said in a low, steady voice.

* * *

Remus paid the ministry owl that delivered the Daily Prophet with a smile the next morning. The front page was dedicated to Harry and his new found freedom. On closing the window, he sat down in the nearest chair and began to read the article, his morning tea in one hand and a slice of buttered toast in the other.

He smiled up cheerfully at his wife when she entered the room and placed the gurgling toddler into his highchair.

'Morning, love!'

'Anything good in the paper?' Tonks asked from over her shoulder as she prepared Teddy's porridge.

'It's all about Harry. There's a bit on Rodolphus Lestrange's trial. He's been sentenced to twenty years in Azkaban for conspiring against the ministry and torturing Harry amongst other crimes.'

'Well, that's good. Harry should be pleased.'

'Awwy!' cried Teddy as he threw a spoonful of his porridge onto the floor.

'Speaking of, where is he?' Tonks asked as she got out her wand to clear up the mess her son had made.

'I think he's still sleeping. The pain potion I got for him was quite strong. Might have knocked him out for a few hours.' Remus ducked as a spoonful of porridge came flying his way.

'Teddy, NO!' scolded Tonks as the boy attempted to place the bowl onto his head.

'It says here that they are now searching for Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange so that they can send them to Azkaban. About ruddy time if you ask me.' Remus added over the top of Teddy's giggles. Tonks wandered over to their son and tickled him under the chin. The child laughed loudly, squirming in his seat. Tonks laughed with him until she suddenly felt bile rise in her throat. She quickly stood straight and held a hand to her mouth. 'Tonks, are you okay?' Remus asked worriedly.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and nodded, removing her hand from her mouth. 'I'm fine, maybe I just stood up too quickly, or something.' she mumbled as she sat at the table. Remus watched Tonks closely until the colour returned to her cheeks and she was able to stand again.

'Why don't you go lie down, love.' Remus suggested in a soothing voice. 'I'll look after Teddy, go rest.'

His wife nodded and slowly made her way upstairs. Remus picked Teddy up and cuddled him close, his mind still fixed on Tonks. He hoped that that little episode was a one off and not serious. Remus could think of only one thing at that moment, and it terrified him.

* * *

Harry woke suddenly from a sharp twinge on his forehead. He grasped it in his hand, cursing under his breath. Voldemort was happy, very happy. His scar only hurt in this way when the man received good news. Recently, Harry's scar would throb continuously. He had gotten used to it a long time ago, but he would never get used to the sudden and immense pain that was coursing though his head at that very moment. The thing that worried him the most about his perpetually prickling scar was that he knew the reason for it was because the connection between Voldemort and himself was growing. The anger he could feel from the Dark Lord was now his. The elation when something had gone right was now not only Lord Voldemort's but also Harry's. Harry couldn't deny it any longer. He had tried to push it to the back of his mind; to ignore it but now that he couldn't go five minutes without feeling that Voldemort was inside him, he had to finally admit to himself that he was scared. He was terrified that he was turning into the man who killed his parents; the man who ruined his life.

Harry never voiced these thoughts to Remus though. The man had enough to worry about without Harry adding to it. Harry worried that one day he might crack; that the foreign emotions would become too much and he would snap. What if he hurt someone? He couldn't bare the thought of that. Remus had done so much for him already. He had housed Harry, fed him, been there in times of need as well as aiding in his bid for freedom. It would hardly be fair if Harry vented his ever growing foul mood onto the man who had taken him in as if he were his own son.

Sitting up, Harry groaned. He sat with his head him his hands, contemplating what he was to do next before putting on his glasses. His sore body protested as he stood up from the warm bed and walked towards the mirror. The teen frowned. He didn't think he had ever looked as bad as he had now. His face was one mass of purple and blue. The mop of black hair was wild on his head and his glasses sat askew on his nose. Taking off his shirt, Harry examined the damage done to him by the auror. He hissed as he touched a particularly nasty bruise.

Donning a clean t-shirt and some trousers, Harry precariously made his way downstairs; his body screaming in protest as he did so.

Upon entering the living room, Harry found Remus, Tonks and Teddy. Mother and son were playing on the floor together whilst Remus sat comfortably on the sofa.

'Hey' Harry called out quietly; his voice cracking from lack of use. Remus and Tonks spun around immediately at the sound of his voice.

'Harry! You're up!' cried Remus as he jumped up from the squishy chair and made his way to the teen.

'How are you feeling?'

'Fine.' This was not true and the entire room knew it. Harry cringed at the look the werewolf gave him. 'Alright, I feel eefing shit, ok?' He added, careful not to swear in front of the toddler.

'I…er, well, lets go into the kitchen and sort you out then.'

Harry merely grunted in response but followed the man into the kitchen. Remus pushed the young man into a seat before turning to the cupboards on the wall. He pulled out a large box and set in on the table.

'What's that?' Harry asked.

'It's all of our medical supplies.' Remus said while fishing through the bottles of potions and pots, all different colours and sizes. He finally pulled out a small tub. 'This is a cream that should heal those bruises. Hold still.' Remus replied as he scooped some cream onto his fingers. He was about to apply some to Harry's face when he stopped, cheeks going red. 'Umm, maybe you should do this.' He shoved the tub towards Harry with his elbow while wiping his hand on a dish towel.

Harry did as Remus had done and scooped some of the white cream onto a single finger. Hesitantly he dabbed the cream onto a large black bruise on his left cheek. Nothing happened but he continued to apply the cream to his sore skin.

'What time is it?' Harry asked, noticing the darkening sky.

Remus checked his watch after fishing out a dark blue vial from the medical box. 'Just past five.' Sensing why Harry had asked, he continued, 'I gave you quite a powerful pain potion last night. Knocked you out for a while, which is no bad thing. You were in need of a long sleep.' Harry looked up the werewolf quizzically. 'To help heal the injuries.' he added at Harry's questioning look.

'Right.' Harry replied gruffly.

'Here, let me help heal those cuts.' Remus got out his wand and with a few flicks, the majority of Harry's cuts healed themselves. 'The deep ones will take a bit longer to heal I'm afraid.' he said with a small frown.

Remus was quite adept when it came to healing minor injuries. He quickly learned how to take care of himself after he had left Hogwarts and did not have Poppy Pomfrey there after transformations to nurse him back to health.

'Feeling better?' Tonks cheerful voice came from the door. Both men turned around to see her stride into the room with Teddy attached to her hip.

'Er…yeah.' Harry answered. In reality, he didn't feel like any of the potions and salves Remus had given him had worked. His scar prickled uncomfortably on his forehead and despite the amount of sleep he had gotten last night, he felt ready to collapse into his bed.

'Did you see the letter the Weasley's sent?' Tonks asked absentmindedly as she placed the turquoise headed baby into the highchair.

'Huh?'

'Tonks, I don't thi-' Remus started but was interrupted by his wife.

'Yeah, they've invited us for dinner on Thursday. To catch up and all that!' She smiled as she turned to face the two men but frowned at their reactions.

Harry glum face had fallen; an angry scowl gracing his lips whereas Remus looked exasperated.

'No.' Harry answered immediately and got up to leave. He didn't want to see anyone. He wanted to be left alone; to mop quietly in his room. He didn't know where the need to be alone had come from. Only a few months ago, he would have given anything to see them. To see his adoptive family and friends but now, when he had the opportunity, it just didn't seem appealing.

'What did I say?' Tonks said sadly as she sat next to her husband who had fallen into a chair after Harry's departure.

Remus sighed, his head in his hands. 'I hadn't told him about the letter. I didn't think he was ready yet. I don't think it's sunk in yet, you know?'

'What's gotten into him? He's really grumpy! You would have thought the he would have been ecstatic about what happened. Has something happened that I don't know about?' Tonks inquired, a worried expression settled on her face.

'I…I don't know. I'd noticed it too. He's gradually drawing himself away. He's fine most of the time, playing with Teddy and everything and then he just snaps. I can't make head not tail of it!'

'He was like it during his fifth year at Hogwarts wasn't he? I overheard Ron and Hermione talking about him during the Christmas holiday after Arthur was attacked. They thought that he was pulling himself away from them and that whenever they questioned him, he would snap at them. But…but that was Voldemort inside him when he was like that, wasn't it?'

'I'd thought that as well. I think his scar is giving him some grief quite a lot of the time.' Remus frowned at his wife.

Teddy gurgled from his seat and smiled at his parents when they turned to look at him. Tonks' eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip began to wobble. She stood up and moved towards her husband. He moved to hug her having noticed how distressed she had become. Remus patted Tonks' back as she wept into his chest.

'I don't want him to hurt Teddy!' she cried loudly, clutching to Remus' shirt.

'It's going to be fine.' Remus supplied, slightly confused and flustered by the way his wife was acting. 'You know that Harry won't harm Teddy. He loves Teddy just as much as we do.'

Tonks then shot up, her tears gone and a scowl over her face. 'He does not love Teddy as much as we do! I love Teddy more than anything in the world. I am his _mother_. I should be the only one to love him as much as I do! I gave _birth_ to him!'

Remus stared at his wife in shock, her sudden outburst surprising him immensely. Only moments before she had been crying her eyes out and now she was angry and frustrated. If Remus' hadn't been too busy worrying, he would have laughed at the situation. Watching Tonks in one of her mood swings was often very amusing, but they had become very frequent these days.

'Hmm, I'm hungry. What do you want for dinner?' Tonks asked cheerfully as she slipped off of Remus' lap and made her way to the kitchen counter. She started to hum to herself and began to rummage about the cupboards in search of something to eat. Remus realised that there was defiantly something wrong with his wife, he just hoped that it wasn't what he thought it was.

* * *

I hope you all liked it! Please review.

**TheRandomOneStaringAtYou- **I feel bad for Harry right now. He is so sad and lonely. :( I hope you enjoyed this update. Please review!

**Tara-Lynn Tam-** I'm glad you like it. There should be some Harry, Ron and Hermione soon, so we shall see how they get on. Please review! :)

**ebreda- **I do enjoy writing the story but i do feel bad for making Harry sad and hurt. I'm glad you like the story. :)

**ChessMasterDBZ- **Thank you for reviewing the chapter. It's always nice to get feedback and although i appreciate that it wasn't a flame, it did come across like one. I'll try to clear up a few points for you. Firstly, (this covers a few of your points) everyone is stressed because Sirius just died and Voldemort has returned. They were not thinking properly but i can understand why you thought it was strange. I thought that you were a bit harsh when you called it stupid that the Weasleys didn't believe Harry. Their only daughter had just been tortured, possibly by Harry so they want to keep her safe. If Harry was the one to harm her, they wouldn't want him near her. The last thing is that Harry hasn't forgiven Dumbledore yet, as you can see in this chapter. I don't mean this in a negative way at all and i hope that this clears thing up for you. I'm glad that you're still going to read, i do appreciate your time and i hope you continue to review and share your ideas with me. :)

**SoccerReader- **Thank you for your lovely review. I was touched and it made me really happy. If you are confused about Ginny and Harry, don't worry it will all become clear in later chapters. Please review! :)


	15. Back at the Burrow

Hi! Sorry to keep you all waiting!

Please enjoy!

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Walking Free

_Back at the Burrow_

The week had passed too quickly for Harry's liking and he found himself being coerced into visiting the Weasley's at the Burrow that evening. Since they had received the letter from the wizarding family, Tonks and Remus had spent many an hour trying to convince Harry that he should visit them. On several occasions, the conversation had turned from quiet and civilised to an uproar with Harry and Remus shouting across the room at one another. Tonks had tried her level best to calm the two wizards whilst also keeping an eye on the wailing toddler but at times, she lost the will to live and admitted to herself that Remus had every right to yell at the teen. Harry's darkening mood had brought a dampener on several of their evenings together and Tonks knew that Remus had had enough. The werewolf was sick of Harry's moping around and although he tried to be understanding to Harry's feelings, he was becoming frustrated.

It had been earlier on that day that Harry had finally agreed to see the Weasleys. He had been in his room, lying on his bed when Teddy had come crawling in. The toddler had then stood on wobbly legs and stumbled over to the bed. Teddy then grabbed the duvet and tried his best to pull himself up onto Harry's lap. Harry laughed at the little boy and helped the child up onto the bed. Once there, Teddy unceremoniously dropped himself down onto Harry's crotch. Harry grunted but laughed too as he pulled the boy closer to him. Teddy wrapped his small, chubby arms around Harry's neck and tucked his head in his shoulder. The child's purple hair then turned back to its original golden brown, showing that the boy was content in Harry's arms.

Teddy soon fell asleep, his deep breaths lulling Harry into sleep himself, but he was woken abruptly when he heard someone frantically calling Teddy's name.

'Teddy! Teddy where are you?' Tonks called out, worry in her voice. 'Baby, Mummy wants to see you. Where are you my precious?' Tonks then appeared at Harry's bedroom door and sighed in relief when she spotted her son. 'Thank god for that. I thought that I had lost him again!' she said as she bustled over and knelt down by the bed. She reached her hand up and stroked the toddler's soft hair. 'He looks just like Remus, doesn't he?'

Harry grinned and nodded. 'He's just like him too.' he said quietly.

Tonks smiled at him with warmth in her eyes. 'Harry, sweetie, why won't you come with us to see the Weasleys?' Harry took a deep breath and ran a hand over his weary face. 'I know you don't want to, but I think that it would be good for you to get out of the house. It'll also be good for you to talk to your friends.' The boy rolled his eyes, causing Tonks to sigh. 'It would make Remus happy.' she added quietly.

Harry didn't respond, lying still and quiet. Tonks stood and stretched her back. She bent down and scooped Teddy off of Harry and cradled him in her arms. 'It's time for his nap, that's why he fell asleep on you.' She turned to the door but looked back before she disappeared around the corner. 'Just think about it.'

Later on Harry had trudged down stairs to the living room where Remus and Tonks were sat, entertaining Teddy with his toys. Remus picked up a blue plastic ball and rolled it across the floor, towards the toddler. The child squealed with delight as the ball bounced off his knee and slowly rolled away. He stood up and waddled over to the ball and attempted to pick it up but it slipped from his little fingers. Teddy whined softly in frustration as the ball kept rolling away from him. Remus laughed loudly while Tonks frowned, trying to hide her laughter.

'Remus, don't be so cruel. Go help him.' she cried as she hit her husband on the arm.

Just as Remus reached out for the ball, he noticed Harry at the door and sat back on his heals. Harry ventured further into the room and sat down in one of the armchairs.

'What time are we going then?'

The four had taken the knight bus which took them to the road closest to the Burrow. Tonks had insisted that they not apparate as she was scared that it would harm Teddy. Remus had eventually agreed, also somewhat worried about the safety of his son. From there they had to walk the rest of the way, but it wasn't far. It gave Harry some time to think and the night air helped to calm his nerves.

The wind brushed through the leaves as the four of them made their way to the small family home. Harry stopped and stared up at the rickety old building, a small smile playing on his lips. He truly loved the Burrow and cherished all memories he had of his holidays there. The warm light seeping through the curtains in the upstairs rooms and the chatter of the red head family that could be heard through the open kitchen window spread a warm feeling through the teen. The Weasley's had always done their best to make Harry feel at home here. It felt strange to be returning now that he was living with the Lupins.

Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when a hand came to rest on his shoulder. Turning his head, Harry noticed both Remus and Tonks were watching him closely.

'You okay?' the werewolf asked with concern, his grip tightening on Harry's shoulder.

'Er…yeah.' Remus removed his hand from the teen's shoulder and took his wife's smaller hand on his other side. Together, they walked towards warm house; Harry following behind.

As Remus knocked on the old wooden door, the chatter inside the cosy house stopped and Harry could clearly make out Mrs Weasley squeak in delight.

'Oh! That's them!'

As the door opened, the four were bathed in light and a strong smell of cooking wafted into the cold night.

Arthur greeted the group with a warm smile; the balding man's wife was visible behind him, jumping with unmistakable excitement.

'Come in, come in!' the eldest Weasley called out to them as he moved to the side to give them room.

They entered the small kitchen, which Harry discovered to his horror, was packed full of people. Remus noticed as Harry tensed and immediately felt guilty. When he had finally convinced to teen to come along with Tonks, Teddy and himself, he had given Harry the impression that only a couple of the Weasley children would be there; however, it seemed that all seven of the offspring had turned up to the meal and those who had partners had also brought them along.

'Just relax Harry!' Remus whispered into his ear as he passed him.

Remus and Harry watched as Tonks made her way into the middle of the room with Teddy attached to her hip.

'Wotcher everyone!' she called out in a cheerful voice. She moved over to Bill who was sat on one of the kitchen chairs and bend down so that she was eye to eye with the man's daughter, who was sitting happily on his lap.

'Heya Dominique! Do you want to play with Teddy?'

Harry was acutely aware of the many pairs of eyes that were watching his every move. He tried his best to ignore the staring and concentrated on the little girl sat upon the lap of the eldest Weasley son instead. Remus and Tonks had given Harry an update about everyone he was close to just after he had moved in with them. They had mentioned how Bill had married Fleur Delacour, who Harry knew from the Triwizard Tournament, after meeting her at Gringotts where she was working to improve her English. Shortly after marrying, Fleur had fallen pregnant with Dominique. The small blonde girl was the spitting image of her mother; her bright blue eyes, heart shaped face and the pale complexion matched her mother's exactly. The only indication that she was the daughter of a Weasley was the splattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose.

Starring at the little girl, Harry did not notice when Molly Weasley practically threw herself on to him in a fierce hug. The plump woman, who stood numerous inches shorter than Harry, had thrown her arms around his thin torso and started weeping into his chest. The grunt Harry had made upon Mrs Weasley's impact with his body alerted the entire room to the woman's actions. Remus, who noted the surprise on the teens face, slapped Harry's arm in the hope that it would encourage him to do something other than stand there with a perplexed expression. Coming out of the shock of the situation, Harry awkwardly yet gently patted Molly on the back.

'Erm…' was all Harry could come out with. He generally wasn't great when it came to consoling wailing women. At school, when Hermione was feeling down, he often left it to others to find out why she was in floods. He felt extremely bad about this and in hindsight, felt that he had not been a great friend to Ron and Hermione, especially in his fifth year. He had been cold and distant to them when they were only trying to help him.

Pulling out of the hug, Mrs Weasley brought her hands up to Harry's face, cupping his cheeks with them.

'Oh Harry! I'm so glad to see you looking so healthy!' removing her hands, Molly took a step back from Harry and studied him closely.

'Look how you've changed! You're so grown up! I remember when you were this high!' she stated sadly, using her hand to gesture his small stature when he had been younger.

Harry felt blood rise into his face as the woman who was once the only mother figure in his life scrutinised him. He knew everyone else was doing the same but he averted his gaze to the floor, not wanting to catch anyone's eye.

'I'm glad to see you're looking much better than you were last week.' Molly continued in a thick voice as if she was going to burst into tears again.

'Yeah, Remus patched him up!' Tonks spoke up as Harry kept his eyes on anything other than the woman in front of him. 'I'm dead awful at healing you see so Remus did all of the work! It's a wonder how I managed to become an auror with my clumsiness and such!' she added, trying to change the topic from the awkward teen in the corner. However, either Molly didn't hear or she just didn't care.

'And I see you got yourself some new glasses!' she continued, pointing at the rectangular frames that sat on Harry's nose. 'Very fetching dear. They suit you!'

If it were possible, Harry felt his face heat up even more. He was sure that he now resembled a beetroot. Molly grabbed the teen once more, squeezing him against her body. Mumbling his thanks, Harry gave Molly a final pat on the back before dropping his hands to his sides.

'You're still too thin though, love! I need to fatten you up some more! Obviously Dora and Remus haven't been feeding you enough!'

At this, the werewolf turned a similar shade of red to Harry. Although he could provide food for his family, Remus was not well off. This sometimes resulted is a small lack of food. He knew Molly didn't mean anything by the comment; she and her husband were also poor and had similar money problems to the werewolf, but he was still embarrassed not to have much money. He always hoped that one day he would earn enough money to buy all the things that his wife and son deserved, but fir the moment, they had to settle for the minimum.

Once Molly was finished blowing her nose all over Harry's sweater, she bustled off to the kitchen to check on the dinner. Harry looked around the room, running his sweaty palms down his jeans.

Harry stopped when he caught sight of the only daughter of Molly and Arthur. Her bright red hair fell down to her slender shoulders and her brown eyes shone in the light of the room. When Ginny looked up and caught Harry looking at her, they both turned their heads, averting their gaze.

'Is diner ready, Mum?' Ron inquired to his mother. In response she playfully slapped him on the arm and told him to be patient.

'I can't do this.' Harry spoke quietly to Remus. He already felt quite uncomfortable standing in the corner.

'Yes you can, Harry. It's fine, okay?'

Harry was about to reply when Mrs Weasley spoke up. 'Everyone, get seated. Diner will be ready in just a second.'

Mass movement followed the short speech as all Weasleys converged on the small table. Remus gave Harry a slight push towards the table and he himself headed towards his wife and son who it would seem, did not want to sit in the high chair Tonks was trying to put him in.

Harry stood, not really sure what to do. The table was packed full of people, leaving very little space for the few who had yet to sit down. To his surprise, Harry noted that Ron had not sat down yet but appeared to be a deep conversation with Hermione. After a minute, the lanky red head made his way awkwardly to Harry.

'Erm…Harry, hey.' He started lamely. His ears had turned maroon as he started to speak with his old best friend. Hermione, who had moved closer to the two, gave Ron a punch in the back. 'Er…yeah, well, you see, what I wanted to say was, that, I'm, well, that I'm sorry for well, you know?'

Harry had absolutely no idea what Ron was talking about so he just looked at the man, confusion etched on his face.

Ron continued when Harry didn't say anything.

'It was that time, in Diagon Alley.' he added hopefully. 'When I sort of punched you.'

Before Harry could react, there was a clatter of kitchen utensils. Both boys looked up to see Mrs Weasley glaring daggers at her youngest son.

'You punched him?' she screeched.

'Well, I, only a small punch!' Harry scoffed at this. As he remembered it, Ron had broken Harry's nose. Not that it had been much of a problem; Harry fixed it simply with his wand when he had escaped from Ron and Diagon Alley.

'Never, in my life, have I been so disappointed with you! Hitting your best friend! What were you thinking?'

Harry gulped at Molly's comment. Did he consider Ron as his best friend? He wasn't really sure. Remus and Tonks were his best friends now he supposed.

'I said I was sorry!' Ron cried as his mother grabbed his ear and pulled him round the table so that he could sit near enough her where she could keep an eye ion him for the rest of the evening.

'Oh Harry! Come round here love and sit next to Fred and George. Oh, on second though, maybe you shouldn't sit next to them.'

'Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Harry, you sit here!' Fred shouted across the table to Harry, gesturing to the vacant seat next to George and himself.

'Teddy, for god sake. Will you just SIT DOWN!' Tonks suddenly yelled at her son who was still fighting against the high chair. When the boy burst into tears Tonks picked him up and hugged him tightly against her chest.

'Oh, I'm sorry baby! Shh!'

The room looked questioningly at the woman as she cuddled her son. Both mother and son's hair circled through bright colours as they tried to calm down.

The evening was one of the most uncomfortable situations Harry had been through in his entire life. He felt that the whole family were treading on glass when they spoke to him; that they were terrified of how he would react to what they were saying. Although the evening became more relaxed as it went on, Harry felt very out of place. He felt that he had missed too much of what had been going on to catch up fully and become part of the family again. It was little things that began to bother him; things that would never normally have caused him any grief started to tear him apart. That fact that he hadn't been there during the potions lesson when Draco Malfoy's potion exploded in his face, covering him from head to toe in bright pink slime or that he had missed out on Gryffindor winning the Quidditch and House cup for example. He was bothered that he had not been present to see Ron bumble his way through a very short lived relationship with their classmate, Lavander Brown, and missing the moment when Hermione and Ron finally became an item.

It was while he was thinking about all he had missed out on, when Harry's attention was drawn to the third oldest Weasley son. His glasses sat perfectly on his nose as he sat up right in his wooden chair.

'Yes, I went last week with the Ministry.' Percy stated to those who would listen.

'Where, Percy?' Bill questioned, having just joined the conversation with his brother and father.

'Oh, Azkaban of course. I went there last Tuesday.'

The table quietened as Percy continued, no aware of the meaningful looks being sent his way. Remus and Tonks watched with horrified faces as the red headed man spoke of the subject that was a complete no go with Harry. They watched as Harry visible tensed at the man's words. All blood left the teen's face and he clenched his hands into fists.

'It was awful, I tell you! I was there for less than an hour and I felt sick and extremely shaky when I left. I don't know how the aurors stay there for any length of time.'

At this point, half of the room were now looking from Harry to Percy, the latter had not realised that he was invoking a reaction from the raven.

'Percy, I think tha…' Mr Weasley attempted to interrupt his son's speech but was cut short.

'No father, its okay! It's best to talk about terrible situations with others. One must talk about these types of experiences. You have no idea what it was like there! The prisoners! Erg…it was, they were, well, I can only describe it as disgusting. They called out to us, whined that they shouldn't be there. Well, at least those who could still speak coherently that is. Many of the prisoners go completely barmy after a few years.'

Harry jumped up, his chair scraping across the floor as he did so. He couldn't listen to anymore; he couldn't cope much longer. They had no idea what it was like. Harry couldn't talk about Azkaban, not even with Remus and Tonks. The thought of the place made him sick to his stomach and brought about the awful memories that he had lived through whilst he was a prisoner there. In all the commotion that followed, none of the occupants in the house noticed the small _pop_ that could be heard from the front garden, signalling that someone had arrived. As Harry yanked open the door, he came face to face with Albus Dumbledore. The second their eyes met, Harry had the peculiar feeling of a snake rising within him. He felt the anger that coursed through his veins bubble with a hatred that was not his own. The smile that graced the old headmaster's lips faltered slightly as he looked into the teen's eyes. His own twinkling blue eyes glazed over with concern as he studied the raven in front of him; however, before he could say anything, Harry had shoved passed him and disappeared into the darkness.

Only the aged headmaster saw the red glint in the normally vivid green eyes. It was then that he had realised how much the connection between Lord Voldemort and Harry had grown. He had hoped that the connection would have diminished after Sirius' death; however, that was an almost childish thought considering that Harry had been to Azkaban. He frowned as he thought of how Harry had had to suffer in the prison. It had probably driven the poor boy insane and Voldemort must have unconsciously picked up on Harry's futile feelings, thereby strengthening the connection.

Dumbledore turned his head to the approaching man who had left the table to follow the boy.

'He has not left the area.' Albus stated simply, sighed wearily as he did so. Noting the disorder in the cramped kitchen, the headmaster spoke again, 'What happened?'

Remus paused to look at the chaos. Several members of the Weasley family had moved from their seats and were now ganging up on Percy.

'Percy decided to recount his tail to Azkaban last week. I believe it made Harry very uncomfortable and well, you can see the rest.' He gestured to the Weasleys who were in a full blown argument. 'I should go find him; make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.' He added as he stepped to the side, leaving the chaos of the Burrow.

'Harry?' Remus called out softly. There was no reply but he could make out a figure standing a hundred metres away. Making his way to the teen, Remus sighed. He had been afraid that something like this would happen. Just he was going to call the man's name again, Harry spoke.

'They don't understand. They will never understand what it was like there. The cold, the screaming. They will never get it!' Remus kept quiet. This was the first time Harry had spoken about his stay in Azkaban and Remus was not going to interrupt him. It was desperately clear that the boy needed to share his feelings with someone. He had been suppressing them so long and Remus knew that the best thing now was for Harry to let them out.

'I never got a break from it. I could always hear it; I could always hear her. Screaming, pleading, crying that he leave me alone.'

It took Remus a moment to understand what Harry was talking about. He closed his eyes and groaned internally when he realised. Harry had been reliving the moments his mother had died, and the memories had really upset and stressed him out.

'I couldn't get away from it. She wouldn't go away. She kept on coming back, again and again.' The boy sounded almost demented as he spoke. 'I couldn't get away!' he screamed, now visibly shaking in the darkness.

'I couldn't stop it. I just wanted to die. I couldn't take it anymore.' Remus rushed forward and took the boy in a fierce hug as he cried. The teen's body wracked from the sobs as he cried on the werewolf's shoulder.

'I'm sorry!' cried Harry as Remus held him in the hug.

'Shh Harry, it's okay! It's over!'

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Yay! Anothe chapter. I hope you all liked it.

Please review, it makes me happy.

**Caelhir- **Oh, i didn't realise i did that. Yes, saying shit is swearing and i spelt effing wrong. I spelt it eefing! Sorry about that! :)

**panther73110- **Harry already has a lot of money and i don't think that he would be that bother about it. He wouldn't want to have to go to the Ministry to sort it out. He wants to keep quiet and be left alone. If it were me, i would sue them for all they were worth, but Harry can't be bothered. He's too lazy! :) Thank you for reviewing.


	16. Protection

Hi everyone! Sorry I took so long, this chapter was really long and I had lots of work to do.

Please enjoy.

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Walking Free

_Protection_

Pius Thicknesse sat at his new mahogany desk, leafing through a large pile of paperwork. Last month it had seemed as if he had no work at all and he had spent most of his time sitting in his office reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. This week however, the paper work had piled up in a matter of hours on Monday morning. Pius had grumbled the whole day as the torture of filling out endless the documents dragged on.

Despite his annoyance at the amount of work he needed to get done, Pius was also thankful for all the work as it distracted him for hours on end and stopped him from thinking about his assigned job. Whenever he had a free moment, Pius' mind would go into a panicked state. He would worry all night long, stopping him from getting any sleep. His stress levels had rocketed and he found himself skittish and uneasy around other Ministry workers.

While Pius had been at Malfoy Manor, Draco had explained his plan and convinced the older man that it would work. Draco had been ordered to Imperio Pius, and then whilst Pius was under the Imperious curse, Draco would instruct him to Imperio other Ministry workers to make then join Voldemort. However, Draco simply told Pius that if he acted as if he had been put under the Imperious curse then no one would know the difference. That way Pius would not be killed by the Dark Lord and as long as he did his job properly, it would look as if Draco had done his job and Voldemort would be pleased with him.

Currently, Pius was waiting outside of a meeting room for Draco Malfoy. The boy was employed under his wing in the Magical Law Enforcement, detecting the use of dark magic; however, up to now, he had paid him no mind. Before now, Draco Malfoy had been nothing more than a young ministry worker; a nuisance in Pius' eyes as young employees meant naive employees and Pius was known for impatience with those who were unsure of their place. Today though, Draco Malfoy was all the anxious man could think of. He needed to talk to the young man, ask for his help. Keeping this a secret was too much for him to handle so he swallowed his pride and accepted the fact that he was truly scared for his life.

Pius stood straight and did his best to put on his 'business' face as the door of the meeting room opened and several ministry workers employed in the detection of dark magic filed out. When he caught sight of the blonde, he let out the breath of air that he had unconsciously been holding.

'A word, Malfoy.' Pius spoke in an official tone that masked his fear quite well.

Draco turned and made his way to the man, a slender eyebrow raised in question. Pius beckoned for the blonde to follow and Malfoy complied, heading towards the deserted corridor that Thicknesse had turned into. Pius' facade cracked as he made to face the boy. He felt stupid asking this much younger man for help. He was the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement after all. He was supposed to be strong, fearless and determined but now he felt like a small, lost child.

'I can't do it. I can't keep this a secret anymore. This goes against everything I believe. I ... I need your help.'

Draco looked at him, eyebrow still raised.

'Are you going to make me beg, Malfoy?'

'I was thinking about it.'

'You need to help me. You need to do it for me. Make it look as if I've done my job.'

'Merlin, you're a grown man. Where's all that courage that I saw when you were sat in my basement?'

'There are times when one should be courageous and now is not one of them.' Pius hissed, glancing over his shoulder in case someone was watching.

'You haven't even lasted week.' Draco almost growled, trying to conceal his frustration. 'Look, if we are going to talk, it shouldn't be here. I'll help you once but then you're on your own.'

The two men made their way to the lifts, heading for the main atrium. They pushed and squeezed past the many people that crowded the large area, trying not to get themselves noticed. Pius kept his head down for fear that another Death Eater might be about and see him leaving with Draco. They would almost certainly be suspicious.

As they exited the Ministry of Magic, Pius felt a strange tingle spreading over his back. His skin began to prickle uncomfortably and he felt himself getting hot and uncomfortable. He stared to sweat and had the odd feeling of being watched.

'You don't think we're being followed, do you?' Pius' question was answered when the two men turned around to find Rookwood and Lucius Malfoy hurrying out of the Ministry and heading their way.

'Run' Draco hissed, as he turned on his heel and made to escape the area with the elder man. Before either had had time to reach into their robes and extract their wands, a familiar green light filled Draco and Pius' vision as the latter was struck with the killing curse.

Pius' body fell immediately, making a thud when it came into contact with the cold, stone ground.

'Oh, oh! Look what we have here, Lucius. Your own son betraying the Dark Lord. I always knew he would fail as a Death Eater, but this, this is just embarrassing. Shall I let you do the honours, Lucius? I'm sure the Dark Lord will not be too displeased when you tell him that you killed your own son for his disloyalty to the Dark Lord.'

Draco froze, petrified of what his father would do; however, when he looked from Rookwood to Lucius, he noticed the long, elegant wand was not pointing at him, but instead, was directed towards the large man's chest.

Rookwood only had time to raise an eyebrow at Lucius before he was knocked unconscious. Draco's eyes followed the figure as it flew across the street and landed in pile on the muddy ground.

'Go, Draco. Run!' When Draco didn't move, Lucius spoke louder, his voice full of fear, 'Leave. Run, Draco. Just _GO_!' Draco did as he was told and disapperated with a _pop_.

* * *

Draco hammered hard on the front door of the small, white house. This was a last resort and the teen knew it. He couldn't think of anywhere else to go and he figured that as he had practically saved Potter's life, the young man owed him one and he was sure that he would comply. Voldemort would fine him otherwise. They would find him if he didn't hide somewhere with protective enchantments and he knew that where there were Order members, there were a series of complicated secrecy spells and protective charms.

'Come _on_, Potter! Open the blasted door!' the blonde cried in desperation, glancing around the street in search of any Death Eaters.

The door opened suddenly and Draco came face to face with his old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. As soon as the older man saw who it was on his doorstep, he snatched up his wand and shoved it menacingly into Draco's face.

'What the hell do you want?' Remus half whispered. He did not want his wife to know that the son of Voldemort's number one Death Eater was stood outside of his house.

'Look, I'm in a bit of a, err…, sticky situation and I would really appreciate if you would lower your wand and let me in so that I can speak to Potter!'

Draco tried to act calm but was failing miserably. His hands were sweaty and perspiration dripped from his forehead.

'What do you want with Harry?' Remus had not removed his wand from the blonde's face. Although he was aware that it was Draco who had helped Harry to escape from Azkaban, he didn't like the man and did not want anything to do with him. At school, Malfoy had been a foul creature, always striving to make Harry's life hell. He had never done anything remotely kind or thoughtful to anyone so when Harry had told him of Malfoy's part in his escape, Remus couldn't help but think that there was some sort of arterial motive. He had not heard anything of the Malfoy boy since Harry had spoken about him in his flat a couple of months ago. Now, looking at the pale, sweaty man in front of him, Remus wondered if he had changed from the obnoxious child he used to be.

'Please!' The teen sounded desperate and for a moment, he looked much younger, much more vulnerable than his nineteen years.

'I won't do anything to you! I just … I need … I need help.' The blonde pleaded.

Remus lowered his wand slightly.

'I'm only doing this because of how you helped Harry. You do anything, touch anything or use your wand then you're out! Get it?' Remus hissed before moving aside to let the teen in.

Draco dashed inside after giving the street one last look over. Sighing in relief as he moved into the hallway, Draco looked around. The small room was dimly lit but had a homey feeling. Shoes of varying sizes were scattered across the floor next to the staircase and an array of coats and hats hung up on pegs. There were pictures of his cousin, Nymphadora and her son and husband hanging on the wall. In several of the pictures, both mother and son's hair cycled through a series of bright colours.

'Kitchen, now!' the werewolf growled in his ear and Draco obeyed, following the man into the bright room. Sitting himself in the chair that the man had kicked out from under the table, Draco took a long, deep breath.

'You've got protective charms, right?'

'What? Why do you care?'

'Look, this is perhaps the last place I want to be but I had no other choice, okay? I made a mistake, a stupid mistake and now I've got nowhere to go.'

Remus eyed the blonde suspiciously. He was about to question the boy when a figure appeared at the door.

Harry took two steps into the cheery kitchen before stopping dead. Sat under a towering Remus was his old school enemy. It was a few seconds before he could formulate the question that was sat on his tongue.

'What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here?'

'I need your help' Malfoy pleaded. 'I … I came here because I had nowhere else to go and the werewolf is in the Order so he's protected and … and you owe me!' Draco finished lamely. At the questioning look Harry gave him, he took another deep breath and continued. 'I got you out of prison, you dolt! And then I warned you about that stupid attack for the ministry worker so I think you should repay the favour.'

'Okay, that's enough.' Remus raised a hand to silence Harry and Draco. 'How did you get here? How did you find my house?' he demanded, his voice hard.

'I've been watching Potter for a while. I … I knew when he moved in with you because I was following him. I had to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. I had to make sure he stayed safe.'

'Why do you care if I stayed safe? Surely you would have loved it if Voldemort had gotten hold of me?'

The blonde flinched at the name before answering. 'I … I know things that … I just … I've seen things that no teenager should see, or do.' Draco finished weakly. Harry just stared at him, obviously disappointed with the response.

There was silence before Remus spoke again. 'So what do you want us to do? Let you live here with my family?' Remus laughed at the outrageous suggestion but when the blonde only replied with a guilty look, he stopped. 'You're not serious? You thought that because Harry owes you, that you can just waltz around and demand that we take you in?'

'I didn't demand!' Draco replied defiantly. 'I only implied.'

* * *

'So you _didn't_ cast Imperio on Thicknesse?' Tonks asked.

'No.' Draco replied, exasperated. The conversation about Draco's involvement with Pius Thicknesse had been going on for over half an hour and the blonde was becoming increasingly frustrated. At first Tonks had sat Draco down at the kitchen table, opposite her. She had started off asking the same questions that her husband had thrown at him, but as she went on, the questions more obscure.

'So you're on Dumbledore's side then?'

'No.'

'Aha! So you are on old Snake Face's side then?'

Draco's eyes narrowed at the nickname before he answered with a simple, 'No.'

The two other men in the room had kept silent, leaving the young auror to question the so called Death Eater.

'Hmm, well what side are you on then?'

'I'm not.' Draco replied simply.

Tonks rested her chin in her hand, eyeing Draco quizzical. 'I see. So you're a drifter?'

'A what?'

'A drifter.' Tonks said again as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 'You know, one of those people who drifts around doing random good and bad acts for no reason what so ever, other than to fulfil their own abnormal desires.'

'Tonks, love, I don't think that there are such people as 'drifters'.' Remus said gently. 'I think you're a bit confused.'

'Excuse me? I am not confused! I know exactly what I am doing thank you very much!' Tonks huffed, glaring at her husband. 'Now, where was I?'

Before Tonks could ask another question, Harry gasped in pain. The raven's hand flew to his forehead as he clutched his scar. Draco watched in slight horror as his school enemy sunk to the floor in agony. Tonks and Remus were at his side at once, kneeling beside him as he cried out. Draco had always made fun of Potter when they had been at school together. He had tried his hardest to ridicule the boy at any opportunity but now that he was watching him suffer what appeared to be from some connection with the Dark Lord, he couldn't help but pity him.

Harry screamed out again but he sounded more angry than in pain. His eyes glowed a bright scarlet and he panted harder and harder, becoming more and more enraged. All of a sudden Harry jumped to his feet and shoved Remus and Tonks away from him. He growled fiercely and slammed his fists down on the kitchen table, causing the cups and mugs to rattle and shake.

Harry seemed to visibly calm after that. His tensed shoulders relaxed and his arms slumped down by his sides. He raised a hand to his face and sighed tiredly. He muttered an apology but Remus shook his head and pulled Harry into a hug.

When Harry pulled back, Tonks took his hand and led him to the table and sat him down. After that everyone sat in silence and the atmosphere was thick and uncomfortable.

'Was, was that, Him?' Draco asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

Harry looked up at the blonde through his messy black hair. Harry held intense eye contact with Draco, before giving a single nod.

* * *

Tonks heaved over the white toilet bowl again, her hair falling around her face. She wiped the brown locks away as she heaved once more, grabbing her stomach with her other hand. When her stomach seemed to have calmed down, Tonks rested her hot, sweaty face on the edge of the toilet seat, the cold porcelain cooling her flushed skin. Taking deep breaths she tried to calm herself down but she couldn't stop her hands from shaking.

'Tonks?' The brunet shot up and turned to the door way of the bathroom. Her husband stood against the doorframe, concern etched on his tired face. 'You okay?' Tonks forced a smile and nodded. She grabbed the side of the sink and heaved herself up off the floor. Remus hurried to her side and helped her up. Tonks swayed and shivered as she felt another wave of sickness in her stomach. Remus pulled her close to his chest and rubbed her back soothingly until she was still and breathing normally. 'Come on, let's go sit down.'

Remus led his wife out of the bathroom and through into their bedroom. He gently pushed down on her shoulders until she was sat on the edge of the bed. He sat next to her and took her hands in his. Neither of them spoke for what seemed a life time to Tonks and she was beginning to think that maybe her husband had either lost his mind or was waiting for her to speak.

'Remus I-'

'Sweetheart, do you-'

They both stopped and looked at each other, small smiled on their lips. Remus reached out a hand and stroked Tonks' soft, pale cheek.

'I think I'm pregnant.' Tonks whispered.

'I know.' Remus whispered back.

Tonks stared at her husband with wide, wet eyes, waiting for him to say something. She had been in a complete state over the last few days, even since she had started vomiting in the mornings, and she feared with all her heart that Remus' would be angry if she really was pregnant. Tonks opened her mouth to ask Remus what the matter was when she burst into tears. She flung herself sideways, onto the bed and wept into the soft fabric of the duvet.

'I'm so sorry, Remus, I didn't mean to get pregnant. It was an accident, I promise.' The hormonal woman continued to cry, tears streaming down her cheeks, staining the bed clothes.

'Hey, stop it.' Remus soothed, lying down next to his wife. 'Hey, look at me.' Tonks turned her head away from him childishly, but she was finally silent. 'Tonks, love, look at me.' Remus placed a hand on her side and rolled her towards him. When she was facing him, Remus leant down and captured her pink lips in a tender kiss. Tonks' eyes opened wide, tears still threatening to fall. Remus pulled back and looked down a his wife. He smiled and kissed her again, on the forehead. 'Tonks,'

'Yes?'

'I love you. You know that right?' Tonks nodded, tucking her head in between Remus' neck and shoulder. 'You also know that I would never blame you for something that's…natural, right?' The tearful woman nodded again. 'So why would I be mad at you for getting pregnant?'

'Causeyoudon'.'

Remus chuckled despite the fact that Tonks was partly right in what she said. 'Okay, I'll admit that I didn't want another baby, but you know why.' Tonks went stiff and balled her hands into fists.

'You are such an idiot.'

'What?' Remus asked, confused.

Tonks sat up and glared at her husband. 'The last time I was pregnant, you kept going on about how the baby would be 'a monster' like you. That was a load of bullshit and you know it.' she chided, her hands on her hips. 'Firstly, you are _not_ in _any_ way a monster. You are kind and wonderful and I love you. Secondly, our beautiful baby boy is perfectly fine. He's not a werewolf like you feared, is he?' Remus looked down, not meeting her eyes. 'Is he, Remus?' The man shook his head, tightening his grip on the bed sheets. 'And lastly,' Tonks lowered her voice and lay down again by Remus, cupping his face in her hand.' Teddy loves you just as much as I do, and I know for a fact that even in he was a werewolf too, he would love you just the same.' Remus looked down at Tonks as she rested her head on his chest and linked her fingers with his.

'Even though Teddy isn't...like me, it doesn't mean that this one won't be.'

'We don't even know if I am pregnant yet, so let's not think about all that now, okay?' Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair. Tonks looked at him, anticipation in her hazel eyes.

'Yeah, okay, but tomorrow I'm taking you to St. Mungo's to make sure.'

'Alright.'

They lay together in silence, soaking in the warmth and comfort of each others' company until a muffled cry came from the next room.

'I better go to him.' Tonks mumbled into Remus' shirt. 'I think he wants something to eat.'

Standing up from the bed, Remus helped Tonks to her feet. He pulled her to him and held her face in his large hands. 'I love you.'

Tonks smiled, leaning closer until their noses touched. 'I know.'

* * *

Once Remus was dressed he headed downstairs to prepare breakfast. As he approached the kitchen he could hear Harry and Malfoy arguing.

'For gods sake, Potter! How stupid are you?'

'Shut it, Malfoy. I'm tired so just keep your opinions to youself.'

'I'm sorry, but who in their right mind puts brown sauce on fired eggs. Then again, who eat fried eggs anyway? There're full of grease and oil.'

When Remus entered the room the two young men went quiet and continued on with their breakfast.

'Morning, Remus.' Harry said cheerfully. 'I made you and Tonks some sausage and eggs.'

'Thanks.' Remus took the plate from the raven haired boy and settled himself down at the table. 'Umm, Malfoy, could you give us a minute?'

'Hmm,' Draco replied, flicking through the _Daily Prophet. _'Oh, don't mind me, I'm fine right here.'

Harry rolled his eyes while Remus stared at the blonde manin surprise. 'He meant leave, you twit.'

Draco looked up from the paper and raised an eyebrow. Coughing once he stood and turned to the door. 'Hmm, yes. Well, I'll leave you to it.'

Remus and Harry watched as the young man left, heading for the sitting room. 'What an arrogant-' Remus stopped when Tonks bustled in, teddy sat on her hip. The small toddler had his head tucked under Tonks' chin and he rubbed his sleepy eyes with his little fist. 'young man.'

'So.' Harry began, taking a seat opposite Remus. 'What did you want to talk to talk to me about?'

Remus looked over at Tonks but she was far too busy making ridiculous faces at their son to notice the two of them. 'It's just that Tonks thinks that she's pregnant again.'

'Wow, congrats.' Harry leant across the table to slap Remus on the shoulder. 'You must be really excited.'

'Hmm, well I'm not going to lie, I am excited about having another baby, but I'm still worried.' Harry nodded, remembering Tonks telling him about how worked up Remus had been about her getting pregnant the first time. 'Anyway, I just wanted to let you know because I guess you've noticed how odd Tonks has been over the past couple of weeks. Her mood swings are really bad.'

Harry smiled and tried not to laugh. Tonks was always odd, but he wasn't going to say that to the woman's husband. 'Umm, I actually wanted to talk to you about something as well.' Remus looked over at Harry from the top of his coffee mug. 'I was just thinking about how good you two have been to me and I really want to pay you back for all your help.'

'That's okay, Harry, we like having you around. Anyway you've helped us a lot already, babysitting teddy and doing some house work. That's enough, so don't worry about it.'

Harry sighed, tightening his grip on his cup of tea. 'No, Remus you don't understand. I want to _pay _you back.'

'What?'

'Well you've paid for all my food since I've been here and now you have to pay for Malfoy too, and now you have another baby on the way. You have done so much for me, I need to repay you and the only way I can do that is with money.' Harry took a deep breath, preparing himself for possible ire from Remus. 'Look, I know that money is a bit tight for you at the moment and I was just thinking that-'

'That is enough!' Remus growled, knocking his chair back. 'I do not need your pity or your money. If there is to be any money in this house, it will be from me, and no one else. I can, and will provide for my own family and I will not except help from anyone, especially you!'

Teddy started to wail loudly while Tonks was trying to ignore them and feed the uncooperative child at the same time.

'What the hell!' Harry shouted back, standing from the table. 'What is your problem? I'm only trying to help and you throw it in my face. And what do you mean especially from me? What's up with that? I'm one of the closest people to you so why can't you trust me? Why can't you accept help from a friend?'

'I don't need your help! All I need is for you to keep your nose out of my business. If this family has some money troubles, that's our problem, not yours. We don't need nor want you getting involved.'

'You really need to get a grip, Remus! You are far too proud and that's why you are having so much trouble. You need to let go and realise that you can't do all this by yourself! Everyone needs help once in a while, what is the problem with asking for it? I accepted all the help I could get when I got out of Azkaban, and you know how proud I can be. I hate having people fuss over me and try to help, but I realised, when my life was at stake, that I needed someone to help me, to guide me, and that was you Remus. You have been such a good friend to me, and I need to thank you for that. If I just give you some money to keep you going, then you can focus on getting a better job and start planning for the baby.'

'It all seems so simple to you, doesn't it? You think that I can just take your money and use it to raise _my_ family? I am supposed to be the sole supplier of this family, so what the hell does that show for me? I'd be nothing more than a useless, pathetic tosser who can't even care for his own wife and child! What would Teddy think of me? He would think that his father is a good for nothing-'

'He's two for fucks sake. He doesn't know what money is you moron! You are his father and he will love you no matter what, and he needs a lot of care and attention, and I'm sure that he's getting plenty of that, but he also needs food, clothes, an education. How are you going to afford these things with no money?'

'I'll sort something out! Anyway, who do you think you are, trying to give me advice. You are the one who needs to sort himself out. You've been a right pain in the backside since you got here. We've tried to put up with it because we know what a hard time you've had, but you need to grow up Harry, grow up and start thinking about what you're going to do with the rest of your life.'

'You've got no idea what I'm going through at the moment. I have had such a hard time getting back into the swing of my old life. I have missed out on so much, I can't just continue from where I left off.'

'Well what about Sirius? He was in Azkaban far longer than you were and he was man enough to face up to the fact that he couldn't live off other people and need to get his own life in order. He did all that and still had time to look out for you. I don't know why he bothered. You never accepted his help or appreciated it! And now look where he is now, dead! And it's all because he was trying to look out for you, again!'

Harry roared at Remus, charging towards him. Harry slammed into the man, shoving him back into the wall. Tonks screamed and whisked teddy out of his highchair and out of harms way. The toddler cried louder and harder, clinging onto his mother's shirt.

Harry reached up and grabbed Remus' face, squeezing his flesh in his fingers. Harry pulled Remus' head towards him then shoved it back against the wall, causing a loud thud. He did this over and over again, making Remus' eyes unfocused.

'Stop it!' Tonks screamed with fear. 'Please stop it!' She ran to them and tried to push Harry away but she only had one hand spare as she was clutching onto Teddy with her right arm. Harry didn't budge and continued attacking Remus.

Without Harry or Tonks realising, Remus had slipped his wand out of his pocket and raised it to Harry chest. Harry had not been expecting the blow and went flying across the room, slamming into the far wall of the small kitchen.

Harry sat slumped on the ground, his dizzy head in his hands. He shock with rage but dared not get back up for fear that Remus might try something. Harry looked up just in time to see Remus storming out of the room and winced as the front door slammed shut. Teddy began wailing even louder than before, his wide, innocent eyes filled to the brim with tears.

'Who the hell do you think you are?' Tonks was standing, hands on her hips, looking stern, but on the other side of the room. She was angry, Harry could see it in her posture, but she was also afraid. Her eyes looked hurt and worried but she tried to conceal it. 'Look at what you have done. You came into _our_ house and you treat us like _that_? How dare you! You think that we want you here? Do you think that we wanted our family life to be disrupted like that? When you first came here, you put us all in serious danger. We could have been killed by Death Eaters! Speaking of Death eaters, what the bloody hell is _Malfoy _doing in my home? So he helped you, it doesn't mean that he isn't up to no good! For all we know, he could be planning to kill us!' Tonks frantically hurried around the kitchen, grabbing her shoulder bag and wand from the counter top. 'I'm going to find him.' She dashed off to the door but turned back around to face Harry and said in a stern voice, 'I think it's time you leave.' Then she disappeared out of the room and rushed out the front door.

Harry sighed, not believing what was happening. He had no idea why he had freaked out like that. He knew that he still had some things to sort out and think about but he didn't realise quite how confused and lost he really was.

As Harry leant against the wall, trying to heave himself off the ground, Draco appeared at the door.

'What on earth was that about, Potter? Werewolf finally lost his cool?'

'Shut it, Malfoy.'

Draco smirked, sat back at the table and refilled his cup of tea. Just as he began to sip his hot drink, Harry heard the sound of the front door again. Moments later Tonks reappeared, bustling into the room. She walked around the table, ignoring the two young men and picked up the quiet toddler from his highchair where she had placed his after Remus had stormed out of the house. Teddy had stopped crying but he still looked upset and the tear tracks had dried down his plump, pink cheeks.

'Come on Teddy, come with mummy.'

Tonks marched back out again, hugging her son close to her chest.

'What a wonderful mother she's turned out to be.' Draco scoffed.

* * *

I hope you all liked it. This is the longest chapter so far to make up for making you wait.

**Allen Pitt- **Ron, Hermione and Ginny will be in the story more soon so we'll see how things turn out.

**TheRandomOneStaringAtYou- **Aww thank you. I'm glad that it makes you feel fuzzy. Please keep reviewing. I hope you are enjoying it! :)

**Caelhir-** Thank you! I also like an angry Harry. It's so funny. But most of the time it's because of old Voldyfart. :)

**hushpuppy22**- Thanks for reviewing! Remus wouldn't send him away, he's too kind and he's too proud to admit that he can't afford to looked after Harry. Well actually he can at the moment, Harry was just worried that in the future, money would be a problem because they had to spend money on Harry at the time. For your other comment, yes the Weasleys are a bit stupid! Hehe! I didn't actually have them saying sorry but i guest you're just supposed to asume that they appologised as they invited him to their house. I love Molly so much, she is so funny! :)

**thecoolestone-** Hi! Thank you for your review. I think that even though Remus wasn't around until Harry was thirteen, he is still very important to Harry. They weren't that close before, but Remus is the only person that Harry has, so he's attatched himself to Remus because he needs protection and comfort. He's a bit of a baby isn't he? Ha! Harry, you's a baby. Please review again, i really appreciate your comments! :)

**Victoria of Memphis- **I love Percy! I know that he is a twat and even if you (i mean anyone in general) hate him, you have to love him for his stupid ignorance! I'm really glad that you are enjoying the story! Please keep reviewing to let me know your ideas and opinions! :)

**jafr86- **Thanks, i hope you're enjoying the story so far!


	17. Apologies

Hi everyone! I hope you all like this chapter. We finally have some Ginny in this chap! YAY!

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Apologies_

Harry shoved the last of his clothes into his battered trunk and clicked it shut before checking around the room one last time to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. He pulled his wand out from his pocket and used a shrinking spell on his trunk. When it was small enough he picked it up and tucked it into his jacket pocket. He could help but remember when he had last done this. He had been all alone at the time and had no where, and no one to go to. He was beginning to fear that time was replaying itself and that he would end up where he started. However, this time he knew that it was his fault. He had pushed them all away. He had refused the help and comfort of the ones who he needed the most.

Harry trudged down the stairs to the living room where he found Draco perched on the very edge of one of the armchairs. He looked extremely uncomfortable and had an almost pained expression on his face.

'What's wrong with you?'

Draco frowned and pushed himself up off the chair, groaning as he did. 'It's these bloody trousers you lent me! There killing me!' Harry couldn't help but chuckle as Draco grabbed the front of the denim jeans and pulled and tugged until he felt slight relief. 'Where did you get these ridiculous things from?'

Harry shrugged and pushed Draco towards the front door. 'Have you got all your stuff together?'

'What stuff?' Draco muttered, still annoyed with himself that he had forgotten to bring anything but his wand and the clothes on his back with him. He had had to grovel to Harry until the younger teen lent him some clothes. Draco hadn't been too pleased at what Harry had given him but it was better then nothing. Most of the clothes were fine but he had been given a few pairs of coarse, dark blue trousers to wear and he found them extremely uncomfortable. They were tight in all the wrong places and despite the fact that they were supposed to be 'skinny' jeans, they seemed to enlarge the size of his backside immensely. He was constantly pulling his shirt or jumper over the top of the jeans as he felt very self-conscious when wearing them.

'Okay, let's go then.' Harry said uncertainly. He pushed open the front door and ushered Draco outside. He then locked the door and after slight hesitation, slot the keys through the letter box.

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes stood tall above Harry

* * *

and Draco, the windows brightly lit and full of multi-coloured sweets and potion bottles. 'Oh god, don't tell me we have to go in there!' Draco cried, sounding almost pained.

'Yes, now shut up.' Harry shoved Draco towards the shop and through the door. They were immediately hit by the sound of excited children and teenagers playing with the products on the shelves. Draco grumbled beside him until Harry stabbed him in the ribs with his elbow.

'Are you sure these disguises will work?'

'Yes.' Harry replied becoming more and more frustrated with the blonde. 'We only need to keep them up for a little longer, just until we get to the back room. Just follow me.'

Earlier on Harry had decided that as they would be going into a shop mainly aimed at children, they should probably be disguised as children. This way they would blend in and no one would notice that the two young boys looked surprisingly like Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Harry had simple shrunk himself and his clothes, and changed some of his featured to make himself look more like an eight year old. Draco had done the same but he still looked terribly superior despite his decreased height and the scruffy t-shirt Harry had lent him.

Harry began making his way towards the back of the shop, behind the counter, pushing past people as quickly as possible. Once or twice he looked back over his shoulder to make sure that Draco was still following him and hadn't gotten lost in the mass of over zealous children. When they reached the counter Harry noticed that George was happily working the till, serving the young kids, a smile plastered over his face.

'Okay, let's go.' Harry quickly slipped passed the counter and dashed through the door, into the back room. Once Draco had followed him in, Harry shut the door and took a sigh of relief. 'Good, now all we have to do is wait till one of them comes in here.'

'Oh good god, how long could that be?' Draco whined. 'I thought you said this would "only take a moment." Yeah right.' Draco grumbled, mimicking Harry's voice.

'I bet you one of them will come back here any moment, so just shut the fuck up already.'

'Wow, little kids these days. You should really think about your language little man.' Harry swirled around to face Fred who had just entered, carrying two large boxes. He dumped them on the floor before standing straight, hands on hips. He gave Harry and Draco a slightly stern look but he couldn't help smiling. 'You two really shouldn't be back here. This is for staff only. Are you lost? Can't you find your parents?'

'Fred, it's me you twit!'

Fred raised an eyebrow, confused. 'Umm, and who would that be?'

Harry sighed and smacked his head with his palm. 'Harry! It's Harry, I'm Harry!' With this he pulled out his wand and tapped the top of his head with the tip. A moment later he was standing at his full height, just taller than Fred.

'Oh, hey Harry! How've you been?'

Harry couldn't help laughing as Fred gave him a quick hug. 'I'm okay, how about you and George? I see business has picked up since the last time I saw you.'

'Yeah, well after you left last time, George and I decided that we really needed to get a move on with our new products. It took some time but we managed to sort it all out and now we have plenty of new jokes and sweets coming in all the time. We've also got lots more customers now and they all seem to enjoy our stock so that's all that matters.'

'Cool, that's great.'

'Thanks. So who's this then?' Fred asked, indicating the small blonde who was examining the contents of one of the many boxes scattered all around the room. 'Hi there. Well, aren't you a pretty little girl.' Fred patted Draco atop the head.

'Fred,' Harry sighed. 'that's Malfoy.'

'O-oh.' Fred exclaimed, recoiling from the teen.

'I do not, in any way look like a girl.' Draco growled, growing to his proper size. 'I may have beautiful, unblemished skin, but that does not make me a woman.'

'What is _he_ doing here?' Fred asked, his voice taking an almost disgusted tone.

'Ah, long story that. I'll tell you later, yeah?'

'Yeah, sure. So, um Harry, what can I do for you?' Fred asked grinning widely.

'Well, I really wanted to talk to both you and George but if you're busy, I guess I can-'

'No, it's okay, I'll go get George. We can let the assistance look after the shop for a bit.' Fred disappeared out of the door and only a few seconds later George came bounding through and practically tackled Harry to the ground.

'Hey, George!'

'It's really good to see you, Harry. How've you been holding up?'

As the three friends chatted and laughed Draco leant against the far wall, grumbling to himself. He was tired, bored and fed up. He just wanted to get out of the annoying cheerful shop, find somewhere that they could stay and keep a low profile.

'Okay, can we get this over with? I'm bored out of my mind! God you people have such dry conversations and you're all far too happy all the time.'

'Alright, blondie.' George smirked. 'No need to get all uppity. Come on Harry, let's all go up to the flat, get some more privacy.'

* * *

Ginny climbed up the stairs two at a time to the twins' flat on top of the shop. She hadn't seen them properly for a while and was almost excited at the prospect of spending an afternoon full of laughs with them. Although the last time she had seen them had been during the disastrous diner with Harry, Remus, Tonks and Teddy not that long ago, she had not felt up to their antics and had to the best of her ability kept away from them and most of the other members of her family during the evening. That evening was the first time she had seen Harry properly for almost three and a half years. He was tall, skinny, had bright green eyes and hair that refused to lie flat; just as she had remembered. Ginny's heart fluttered as she thought of him. When he had entered the Burrow, for a moment, she felt as if she was back in one of her childhood dreams in which the Boy Who Lived walked into her house, swept her off her feet and told her that he loved her. Snorting at the thought, Ginny made her way to the front door of the twins' flat.

It was a stupid, childish thought and totally absurd; Harry Potter would never love her. Besides, she had moved on; she no longer thought of him as the famous Boy Who Lived. She no longer blushed furiously when she was in the same room as him. She had stopped thinking of him like that several years ago when she realised that nothing would come of her fawning over some bloke who didn't even notice her. Yes, Harry had been her friend and had been perfectly pleasant and friendly to her when they had spoken, but he just didn't think of her in the way that she wanted. He was Harry, just Harry; her brother's best friend and there was nothing she could do about it.

Any chance of him liking her totally went out of the window three and a half years ago when he was accused of torturing her and was carted off to Azkaban. His visit to the Burrow for the diner made it perfectly clear in Ginny's eyes that he hated the lot of them and that he did not want anything to do with the family. He had been tense, awkward, had rarely spoken and had even stormed out though Percy was to blame for Harry's rather sudden departure.

As Ginny made to knock on the slightly ajar door, she heard the twins talking with someone else. She wasn't exactly sure who it was but she thought that she recognized it. Moving into the shadows, Ginny strained her ears, listening to the conversation taking place in her brothers' living room.

'… it was completely stupid and he probably hates me now so I can't go back.' Only a few moments later Ginny realised who it was. Gasping in surprise she listened in closer, trying to pick up the whole conversation. 'I just came round to ask if you had any suggestions as to where I could go. Somewhere I can take him as well.'

Him? Who was him? Carefully pushing the door a jar some more, Ginny positioned herself so that she could take a peak into the room. Leaning on the table was Harry. Her heart fluttered again at the sight of him and she felt butterflies rise in her stomach. Fred was stood next to Harry whereas George was slumped in one of the chairs. There was no sign of another occupant so Ginny waited to see if he would emerge.

'I see your problem, mate. You probably want somewhere large so you don't bump into him much.'

'Haha. Very funny Weasel.' Came a sarcastic drawl and sure enough, the unknown fourth occupant made himself known. Ginny fell back when Draco Malfoy came out of the shadows. His blonde hair was slicked back and the jeans he was wearing appeared to be quite tight and oddly seemed to suit him. The thump that Ginny made from her contact with the floor caused the men to turn to face the door; however, Ginny's Quidditch skills spared her from being seen as she quickly swerved out of sight.

Crouching down in a more comfortable position, Ginny turned her attention back to the room and the continuing conversation.

'What about the Burrow? Mum would love to see you again and we know Ron and Hermione are desperate to meet up with you.' Fred said having moved into a kitchen chair beside his brother.

'With _him_' Harry asked incredulously, nodding his head to the blonde. 'Not bloody likely.

'True, he'd probably drive everyone…'

'…nuts within minutes. Bad suggestion, Fred.'

'I am _right_ here you know? I _can_ hear you!' Draco exclaimed, obviously frustrated with the way the conversation was going.

'Yeah, and while you are in our house, we will talk about you however we want. So just zip it you slimly dick or we _will_ give you something to complain about.'

Malfoy grunted but did not speak again.

The conversation continued for some time with several stupid suggestions as to where Harry and Malfoy could go from the twins. One of the absurd suggestions had been the Dursley's house. Harry had laughed for about five minutes after that, which soon became contagious as Fred and George ended up in fits of giggles. Ginny found herself having to hold back a chuckle at the thought, but Draco, who obviously did not know of Harry's relationship with his relatives looked uncomfortable and frustrated. After the laughing episode, Ginny felt her legs cramping from being in the same position for too long. Gingerly moving so that she could stretch her legs, Ginny moved to the other side of the staircase, settling against the wall for support.

'Well, I suppose you could always go to Grimmauld Place.' At Harry's frown, George continued,' I mean, no one uses it anymore, not since…' he coughed uncomfortably before adding, 'and it's got all those protective enchantments around so ferret face wouldn't have to worry about being found.'

'Doesn't it belong to one of your lot though?' Harry questioned Malfoy who had remained silent for the majority of the visit.

'How am I supposed to know? I've never even heard of the place!' Malfoy sneered, turning away from them.

'I, err, Harry, Sirius left you everything.' Fred spoke up rather awkwardly.

'Huh?'

'In his will' George added at Harry's confusion. 'It's yours. The house, possessions, the entire contents of his vault. Everything.'

There was silence for a moment before Harry murmured something.

'I… right. His will.' There was another long pause. 'I suppose we should go there then. Seems to be, um, the most appropriate place.'

'Well, thank Merlin for that!' Draco exclaimed, raising his hands above his head in euphoria. 'Let's go!' The blonde abruptly turned to the door but when Harry did not make to follow, Draco turned to him, 'Err, _now_!'

Deciding that now was probably the best time to move, Ginny carefully stood up and silently hurried back down the stairs and left the flat. Once she was outside of the shop she disapperated. Had Ginny stayed, she would have heard Harry ask after the Weasley family, more specifically, she would have heard Harry ask the twins how she was and whether his attendance at diner a week or so ago had bothered her.

* * *

Harry threw the cloth down on the table, tired and bored of cleaning. He had been trying to tidy the house up a bit since it hadn't been used in over three years. He had tried to get Draco to help but the young man had been extremely stubborn. When Harry had shoved a feather duster at him, Draco had looked at it with revulsion, absolutely disgusted at the thought of doing any physical labour.

Harry had spent almost an hour wiping down the surfaces of the kitchen counters and although he could use his wand, he found cleaning rather therapeutic and it gave him time and space to think. Draco had been highly unhelpful as he decided that it would be a good idea to sit at the kitchen table and carelessly slurp on a cup of tea, which he spilt numerous times. He had also been quite peckish and helped himself to some of the food Harry had gone out to buy from the local muggle supermarket. He had attempted to make himself a sandwich but most of the bread and cheese had ended up on the table and floor which Draco later refused to clean up.

They had only been in the house for a week but Harry and Draco had already had numerous fights, mostly a result of Malfoy's unwillingness to help Harry in any way. Sitting in the now clean kitchen, Harry cradled a hot mug of tea. Draco had buggered off upstairs somewhere after another quarrel. Harry wasn't sure what they had argued about; it all seemed so trivial and stupid. Harry sighed deeply; he was having problems sleeping again. The nightmares, which had plagued him since his escape, had calmed down considerably when he had moved in with Remus; however, coming back to Grimmauld Place had triggered nasty memories and contributed an increase in ghastly nightmares that woke Harry nightly. Too engrossed in feeling sorry for himself, Harry did not notice when the fire in the fireplace turned green. He did, however, notice when a figure stepped out.

'Ginny?' Harry asked in surprise, jumping up from his seat. 'What- what are you doing here?'

Ginny smiled gently, brushing off the soot that had coated her jumper. 'I just…needed to see you Harry, it's been such a long time since we last spoke and I wanted to check up on you.'

'Do your parents know that you're here?'

Ginny scoffed and took a seat at the kitchen table. 'Why do they need to know.' she asked, frustrated. 'I'm not a child anymore, but everyone treats me like one. They all flit around me, scared that anything they do or say will upset me or something. Mum hardly ever lets me out of her sight and Dad and the boys are constantly on my back about "how I'm feeling" and "is there anything that I need". All I need is some space!'

Harry watched the young woman with wide eyes. He hadn't really seen or spoken to her in ages and all of a sudden she appears and starts babbling like they've been best friends for years.

'Ginny, you still haven't answered my question. Do your parents know that you're here?' The redhead scowled but shook her head. 'Did they tell you that I'm living here?' Harry asked, worried that the twins had told their family where he was staying.

'No,' Ginny sighed, 'they don't even know that you left Remus' yet, no one knows. I only found out because I was at Fred and George's shop when you came over. I heard them telling you to come here.'

'Oh, I see.'

The two teens looked at each other in silence, both trying to decide what to say next.

'So, how have you been?' Ginny asked in a hopeful tone, wanting to make the situation a little less awkward.

Harry shrugged. 'Fine, I guess.'

'Right, well, I'm okay too, I suppose.'

The kitchen went still once again as Harry sat back down and took a sip of his almost cold tea. He looked up at Ginny over the rim of his mug. 'Oh, do you um…d'you want a cup?'

Ginny's eyes widened for a moment before she nodded, smiling softly. Harry stumbled over to the kettle and lit the stove. As he was gathering the cup and the tea bag, he didn't notice Ginny as she joined him at his side.

'Harry, I…I've really missed you, you know.' Ginny saw Harry's shoulders visibly tense and his grip on the china cup looked painful. Ginny continued as Harry poured the boiling water into the cup, followed by the milk, his hands shaking. 'I've been wanting to see you for a really long time. Even if it was only for a second, I just wanted to see you, maybe talk a bit.' The redhead noticed that the tea was spilling from the top of the cup as Harry lifted it from the counter, and reached out a hand to steady him. At the contact Harry dropped the cup which smashed onto the marble and scolding tea spilt over the sides and onto the floor. 'Harry, you okay?' Harry took a staggered breath and pulled out his wand. He quickly cleaned up the mess and repaired the china. He was about to remake the tea when Ginny stopped him. 'No, it's okay. Come on, let's go sit in the living room.'

The redhead led Harry into the old, dimly lit room and gently pushed him down onto one of the sofas. She then marched over to the curtains and flung them back, letting the morning light stream through, brightening the dreary room. 'That's much better, isn't it?' she said, putting on a cheery voice. 'Okay, Harry, I really think that we should talk. I know that things between us might be difficult because of…well…what happened, but I just want you to know that-' She cut off when she heard a sniff from the sofa and spun around to see Harry weeping into his hands. 'Harry?' Ginny whispered, reaching out to the sobbing man. 'Harry, what's wrong-'

'No, Ginny please, please forgive me! I...I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry for everything. I've been such an idiot lately. I know that I'm not the only one who's suffered but I can't seem to stop myself from taking my pain out on others. Ginny, I...' The teen tried to calm himself but he couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his flushed cheeks. 'I can feel him _all_ the time. I can't stand it. My scar hurts all day long, it's driving me mad. Whenever anyone tries to talk to me, or comfort me, I just blow up at them. I know that they only want to help but I'm so tired and stressed that I lash out.' Harry's voice was harsh and rough from crying and his eyes were red and puffy. Ginny sat down by his side and gently took his hand, rubbing soothing circles over his pale skin. 'He's ruining my life, Gin, and there's nothing I can do about it.'

'Don't say that. Don't think like that, Harry. Just…just relax, okay? I'm here, we all are. We'll help you all the way so just relax for now.' Ginny put an arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling him close to her. At first Harry went rigid but he soon loosened up and leant against Ginny's side. Ginny put a hand on Harry's cheek and raised his head to look at him. 'I'm right here Harry.' As the teen looked up at her with sad eyes, Ginny leant forward and placed a gentle, delicate kiss on his forehead.

* * *

Mrs Black's portrait screamed loudly after the doorbell to number 12 Grimmauld Place rang out. Swearing under his breath, Draco made his way from the kitchen to the front hall. Ignoring the screeching portrait, Draco hesitantly made his way to open the front door. With his wand held firmly in his hand, Draco gingerly opened the old door; however, at the site of the two tall men outside of the house, the blonde couldn't help but let out a breath of relief. He had been on edge since his escape from the Ministry, terrified that the Dark Lord and Death Eaters were following him around, wanting to kill him for what he had done. When Harry had firmly told him that he needed to get a grip or he would be thrown out of the cobwebbed covered house, he loosened up a bit but he remained slightly hesitant and nervous.

'Ah, Mr Malfoy, a pleasure to see you.' Albus Dumbledore exclaimed kindly at the young man before adding 'I was looking for Mr Potter actually, is he available?'

Draco lowered his still raised wand and gave a small nod to the elderly wizard, letting him pass into the dark hallway.

Draco turned towards the other tall guest who remained standing on the front door step.

'Severus my boy, do come in.'

'Draco' Professor Snape drawled with his customary snarl as he passed his old student and made his way inside.

Upon closing the door, Draco realized that Mrs Black was continuing to yell indecent remarks from her portrait.

'Shut up!' Severus snarled as he passed the women and with a flick of his wand, the curtains encompassed the old portrait, leaving the hallway in an uncomfortable silence.

'Shall we make our way into the kitchen perhaps?' Dumbledore suggested, appearing to be totally unfazed by the awkwardness of the situation.

'Err...' was all Draco could say before the two men made their way down into the dingy kitchen. When he entered the room, Draco found Albus Dumbledore sat comfortably in one of the wooden kitchen chairs. Professor Snape, on the other hand, remained standing with perfect posture near the fireplace.

'Perhaps we could have a spot of tea, Draco?' Dumbledore said again, breaking the silence. His jovial voice echoed round the room.

'Right, err...ye-'

'Oh Merlin! Just go and fetch the blasted boy so that I can get out of this disgusting place.' Snape snapped angrily, turning from the two occupants so that he didn't have to see the disapproving look the Headmaster was sending his way.

Draco didn't answer; instead, he left the room quickly and made his way up to Potter's bedroom. He didn't knock as he came to the door but just barged in. Whatever he had expected, it was not finding Potter face down on top of the covers on the bed, fast asleep.

'Dammit Potter.' Draco growled as he moved towards the slumbering teen. Draco knew that Harry had not been sleeping well; the nightmares that resulted in Harry crying out had woken the blonde on several occasions. Even when he was not woken by Potter's nightmares, the dark blue bags that sat under the raven's eyes confirmed the lack of sleep. When confronted with his problem, Potter ignored it, saying he was 'Fine'. Draco couldn't help but think that Potter was a fool for refusing to talk about his problems. Even with his very limited knowledge about health and healing, Draco knew that in order to help the problem, Potter would have to open up, talk about it and then accept help.

Raising his wand again, the blonde grinned menacingly and quietly called out 'Aguamenti'.

The jet of ice cold water hit Harry straight in the face, soaking his hair, face and pillow. Rolling over in shock, Harry almost fell off of the bed. Grabbing his wand from the bedside table, Harry pointed it towards the intruder in his room.

Realising who it was, Harry jumped off the bed. 'What the fuck, Malfoy? Don't ever do that again you bloody prick!' Harry shouted, sudden anger coursing through his body. Turning away from the blonde, Harry took several deep breaths. His anger problems were getting out of hand. At any slight provocation and he would blow up.

'Jeez Potter, calm down will you! Bloody hell.' Draco called out from the corner of the room where he had retreated to when he thought Harry was going to attack him.

'What do you want?' The question came out as a snarl.

'Dumbledore and Snape are here.'

'What?' Harry wheeled around to face the other teen. 'How did they get in?'

'Through the front door, you dolt. How else would they get in now that you've blocked the floo connection?'

'You let them in?' Harry growled.

'Well duh!'

'Why the _hell_ did you do that?'

'I wasn't going to leave them outside was I?'

'What do they want?'

'How the hell should I know? They asked for you which is why I'm here.' Draco gestured to the room. After Harry did not answer, Draco turned out of the room and made his way back down to the kitchen.

Sighing in frustration, Harry left the room. Why couldn't he just be left alone? The last thing he wanted now was Severus Snape snarling down at him as if he was twelve again and he had just botched up another stupid potion.

Upon entering the kitchen, Harry found Albus Dumbledore pouring himself some tea. Snape was standing towards the Headmaster's left and Draco was sat uncomfortably at the other end of the table. As he entered the room, Professor Dumbledore turned towards him with a smile. Snape, on the other hand, sneered. The potions master had not changed in the three years since Harry had seen him last. His hair, which fell to his chin, was still greasy, as if the man did not understand the function of shampoo, and black. The large, hooked nose was the same, as were the onyx eyes which studied Harry critically.

'So the Chosen One has finally graced us with his presence. I'm honored.'

Draco gulped and visibly shrank after the potion's master spoke. He knew Potter and Severus Snape did not get along so with the mood Potter was currently in, he couldn't help but wait for the boy to explode after one of Severus' jibes.

'Severus' Albus warned from his seat. 'Perhaps, Mr Malfoy, you would take Professor Snape upstairs for some time while I speak with Mr Potter?' Dumbledore turned from Harry to face the other two occupants.

Draco quickly stood from his seat and made his way out of the tense room. Severus rolled his eyes before exiting after the blonde.

'Take a seat, my boy.' Dumbledore said kindly when he was sure that Draco and Severus had made their way upstairs and out of earshot.

'What's Snape doing here?' Harry questioned the old man before he had sat down.

'I believe that Severus was concerned for Mr Malfoy's wellbeing after his sudden disappearance from the Ministry of Magic and merely came here to find peace of mind. You seem to have taken excellent care of the young man, Harry. It was very kind of you to take Draco in during his time of need.'

'I didn't take him in. He sort of … just arrived … and I couldn't get him to leave.' Harry answered, not looking at the Headmaster. Harry guessed that Dumbledore thought there was more to it but he brushed that aside and asked another question that was on his mind.

'Why are _you_ here?' Finally turning towards the man, Harry saw him close his eyes for the briefest of moments, as if trying to compose himself before answering.

'Harry, my boy, I cannot understand what you may be feeling towards the Wizarding World currently but I hope that you can accept my apology. I was not there for you when you needed me and my neglect resulted in your imprisonment in Azkaban. Then, whilst you stayed in that wretched place, I did little to help you. I never visited you, nor did I try to discover what exactly had happened that day. For this, I am truly sorry.'

When the elderly wizard looked up at him, Harry noticed the tears that fell from the bright blue eyes. Turning his head away from Dumbledore, Harry put his head in his hands.

'Look, what's done is done … there's nothing we can do about it now.' Harry stammered, his head still supported by hands. After a moments silence, Harry spoke again, absentmindedly rubbing his prickling scar as he did so.

'That's not the only reason why you came here, is it?' It seemed stupid that the Headmaster would come to his house, with Snape, just to apologize.

'Quite right, my boy.' Dumbledore said with a small smile. He took a sip from his tea cup and placed it back onto its saucer, before dabbing at his mouth with a napkin. 'I believe I know a way to defeat the Dark Lord.

Of all the things Harry was expecting the elderly wizard to say, that had not been one of them.

* * *

Okay, please let me know what you think! Review! :)

**ebreda- **Thank you for your review. I hope you liked this chapter. Imagine what would happen if he stayed at the Burrow! That would be so awkward I think i would wet myself laughing. :)

**js1408-** Thank you! Remus was a bit of a twat but I love him too much to be angry with him. He is so cute with Teddy! Aww. However, I also think that he should apologise to Harry. Poor Harrykins. :)

**Caelhir-** Awww! Thank you so much. Your reviews make me so happy! YAY ANGRY HARRY! YAY DRACO! I'm pumped too. :p

**Bob Hammilton- **Yeah they are a bit stupid sometimes. I feel a little bad for Remus 'cause Harry is an annoying idiot at the moment, but never mind. I hope you liked this chapter!

**Victoria of Memphis- **Oh yeah! That man got a good whipping! Thanks for the review, I hope you still like the way I write Draco's personality. He's being a real bum. :) Please review!

**Allen Pitt- **Don't worry, Ron and Hermione will be in it soon. I just wanted to show how Harry was coping with out them. However, Ginny is finally here so I hope you enjoyed it! :)

Please review!


	18. The Professors

Hi! Sorry if I kept you waiting. :)

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_The Professors_

The small, white house that sat on the corner of Old Road in a muggle suburb had been silent when its occupants returned. Remus and Tonks had expected to find Harry and, as much as they hated the thought, Draco Malfoy residing there; however, when the front door had been unlocked and the family had entered, stillness was all that greeted them. When Remus, who had moved into the kitchen, called out to his best friend's son and received no answer he had not been overly worried. In his mind, there were several reasons as to why Harry was not in the house. He, himself, had childishly stormed out of his home and fled to a nearby park to cool off. There was no reason why Harry had not done the same.

As Tonks had stepped over the threshold with her son tightly wrapped around her hip, her foot met with a hard, lumpy object. On closer inspection, she had been surprised to see her house keys lying on the door mat. It was ridiculous to have house keys really, seeing as they were wizards and could easily unlock the door with a simple spell; however, Remus had insisted and so, she and Remus ended up with a set of several door keys for the petite house. Harry had also become the owner of a set of the keys when he had moved in with them. He seemed mush more willing to use them than Tonks could not be bothered with the extra hassle of carrying them around with her when she left the house. She had never used the things; they were just something else that could be lost or stolen. Tonks guessed it was because of Harry's muggle background that the teen used them and he was more careful than Tonks and therefore less likely to lose the damn things. She preferred to just use her wand, which she carried around about her person all of the time anyway. So her house keys remained in the top draw of the kitchen counter where she had placed them after Remus had first given them to her.

Tonks had paused at that thought; she barely noticed as her husband made his way upstairs, this time calling out for Malfoy. If her house keys were in the kitchen draw and Remus had used his to get into the house before putting them into his pocket, whose were these? Moving into the hallway, Tonks had closed the door, placed Teddy onto the floor and grabbed the coat that her husband had worn during his excursion. It had not taken her long to find Remus' keys in the side pocket of his worn jacket. As a frown had fallen on Tonks' face, she moved into the kitchen and opened the top draw of one of the cabinets. There, sitting on top of a scrunched up, important looking piece of parchment and a recipe for sticky toffee pudding sat Tonks unused house keys. The cogs in Tonks brain began to wind and she dropped the keys she was holding, having realised what it all meant.

Remus noted that his wife was dawdling at the front door as he jumped up the stairs, two at a time, calling out to the Malfoy boy. When Remus had received no reply form the blonde, he began to worry. He had quickly made his way to what was now Draco's room (Harry had been forced to sleep on the sofa when the blasted blonde at arrived at the doorstep. The argument over who slept in the only spare bedroom had lasted almost two hours, with Harry finally giving in, only because he felt guilty for causing a ruckus in his friend's house.) and poked his head around the door to find the room empty. It was then that he had begun to panic. Ever since arriving, Malfoy had refused to leave the house for fear of being killed by Death Eaters. When Remus had walked into the bedroom and had found none of the boy's possessions –not that there had been many- he realised that something was wrong.

Having jumped down the stairs, Remus had entered the room to find his wife standing over the kitchen draws, with her back to him. He had desperately tried to tell her that he couldn't find either of the teens and that when he had entered Draco's room, he had found none of the blonde's belongings. He had not heard his wife the first time when she had simply said 'He's gone.' He had, however, taken notice when Tonks had turned around, a disbelieving look on her face, and told him that they had not just gone out but they had, in fact, left the house for good.

Remus had frozen at his wife's exclamation. After a minute or so, when his brain began to function properly again, he asked what had happened after he had left the house. Tonks diligently told him of the events that had occurred but had paused when she got near to the end. She had been the one to cause this mess; she had been the on to tell Harry that he should leave. She had, of course not meant what she had said. Caught up in the heat of the moment, she yelled at the poor teen and he had mistaken her words. She had only meant that he should leave for a while; to calm down at least. She had not meant that he should pack up his belongings and find somewhere else to live, dragging that bloody Malfoy boy with him. She felt like crying and couldn't stop the hot tears falling.

* * *

The conversation between Harry and Professor Dumbledore had been a long and rather stressful one. Harry found himself confused, angry and upset as the Headmaster spoke. The elderly wizard had given Harry permission to interrupt anytime he wanted to question what was being said but the teen had not taken up the offer. He sat quietly as Dumbledore's soft voice filled the kitchen.

'I am under the impression that Tom Riddle created seven of these Horcruxes. As they contain part of his soul, without removing the soul from the object it resides in, one cannot kill Lord Voldemort. I believe this to be our only hope. We must defeat Voldemort and I believe this to be the only option. He is gaining power every minute and soon, I fear that we will not be able to do anything about it. We must take action now. We have to destroy the Horcruxes as soon as possible. That is the only way we can defeat Voldemort.' The man paused briefly before continuing, 'I take it you remember the prophecy?' When Harry grunted, Dumbledore spoke again, 'As I believe it, you must be the one to defeat Lord Voldemort. I thought that I should share my discoveries with you.'

The anger that bubbled up inside of Harry was purely his own this time. He could not just sit here and listen to the Headmaster go on about how he was supposed to defeat Voldemort. Who the _hell_ did Dumbledore think he was storming into his house and almost demanding that he give up any preconceived ideas of having a quite, relaxing life so that he could save the Wizarding World? Yes, he knew about the prophecy and how it told of the savior of the Wizarding World but wasn't he allowed a break? Wasn't he allowed to just relax and get his life back into some order? Apparently not. Dumbledore had decided this and whatever Dumbledore wanted, Dumbledore got.

'What are you on about?' Harry almost yelled at the elderly man. 'Who do you think you are? You invite yourself and that greasy git into my house and demand this of me?' The teen's voice raised in volume with every sentence. 'There's no "Hi Harry. How are you? I see you've fucked up your life, _again_!" You just go off on one about how I'm supposed to kill Voldemort. You don't ask me how I feel or what I want. You just expect this of me. What if I don't want this? I didn't ask for this fucked up life! I didn't ask to become the bloody Boy Who Lived but because I am, everybody thinks that they can just throw me around with no thought of how I feel or what I want.' Harry was shouting now. He wanted to hit something or someone. It reminded him somewhat of the night after Sirius died when he had screamed, yelled, and thrown a tantrum in the Headmaster's office. 'You've never cared. No one has _ever_ cared.'

Harry noted that the elderly wizard had not flinched at his outbreak; he sat rather calmly in the wooden chair. This did nothing to help Harry's temper; however, he had noticed that a small frown now graced the Headmaster's lips.

'Harry, my boy-'

'DON'T! I'm not your boy. You know nothing about me. You don't care so just shut up.'

'That is not true.' Albus' voice echoed around the room. It was harsher than it had been throughout the conversation and Harry felt a shiver of fear rise up his spine as he looked into the melancholy blue eyes. 'I have wronged you many times Harry and for that you cannot understand how regretful I am; however, I have_ never_ stopped loving you and I will never. You are like a grandson to me. You have made me proud to know and even though you have disappointed me once or twice with your disregard for the rules and your lack of self preservation, I have never stopped caring.' Dumbledore's voice had calmed throughout his speech. His eyes filled with unshed tears as he solely lowered himself back into the chair, his eyes never left Harry's emerald ones.

'I know I ask too much of you, Harry, and for that, I find myself apologizing to you yet again. I see that my mistake has been in assuming that you were trying to push yourself away from it all, from us all. I was under the impression that you did not welcome my company, so I thought, obviously rather foolishly, that I should get to business and therefore, I neglected common courtesy.'

The room fell silent. Harry sank down into his chair and watched in surprise as Dumbledore uncharacteristically took off his half moon spectacles and pushed his wrinkled hands into his face. If anything, Dumbledore showing weakness was far more irritating that the normal, cheery old man. Harry turned away and studied a broken brick on the wall. He was somewhat ashamed of the way he had acted. He needed to learn how to control his temper better but at the moment, with everything that was going on with Remus and his scar, he found he just couldn't suppress the anger.

The silence became deafening in the dark, basement kitchen. It seemed to echo around the room as the two men sat there, both with their heads in their hands. Harry wasn't sure how much time had passed when he had finally managed to calm down. He took a deep breath and hesitating before speaking again. He couldn't stand the silence and now that he was thinking more clearly, decided that he should at least try to understand what Dumbledore had come to tell him.

'So, these things, have you, err, managed to get rid of any?'

Albus straightened and placed his spectacle back onto his nose. He appeared to be slightly more composed no but his lips still held the frown. With a sigh, the elderly man answered.

'Yes, three of the seven have been destroyed.'

'Oh, right. So what were they?' Harry felt extremely awkward sat here trying to hold a calm conversation with a man he had wanted to tear apart not half an hour ago. With another great sigh, Dumbledore spoke up.

'The first was destroyed several years ago. I had not realised the true meaning of it when the situation was brought to light; however, after sifting through a great deal of information, including memories of several people who knew Lord Voldemort when he was young, I discovered that the object wan indeed a Horcrux. I knew at the time that there was a great deal of dark magic within the object, I just did not understand it at first. On closer inspection, it was easy to see that the diary had harbored a piece of Tom Riddle's soul.'

'Wait, diary? You mean Tom Riddle's diary that I destroyed in second year with the basilisk fang? That was a Horcrux?' Harry questioned, his interest in the conversation peaking.

'That's the one.' Dumbledore replied quietly. 'It was incredibly lucky in some ways that it was a basilisk which resided in the castle.' At Harry's questioning look, he continued, 'There are only a few substances that can destroy Horcruxes; basilisk venom being one. The other is far more dangerous and something that I would never condone. I would think that you have not come across a Fiendfyre?' At Harry's shake of the head, Dumbledore nodded. 'I thought not. A Fiendfyre is a type of fire, created from very dark magic, which cannot be extinguished using the common methods. They are extremely difficult to control and can rapidly get out of hand. Very dangerous but very potent and can therefore, destroy a Horcrux.'

The Headmaster paused in thought before continuing as he stroked his long, white beard.

'The second Horcrux was destroyed by myself shortly after your imprisonment. It was a family heirloom that caught Tom Riddle's eye. I will, in the near future, discuss with you Lord Voldemort's past as I believe it is somewhat key in order to understand the man. The ring belonged to Marvolo Gaunt, Tom Riddle's grandfather who was distantly related to Salazar Slytherin. The ring's link to the founder of Hogwarts appealed greatly to Lord Voldemort, you see. He wants nothing more than power and by claiming such an object, I suppose he feels somewhat closer to Slytherin. I found it in the Gaunt family home where Tom had hidden it. He placed a dark magic on the object, cursing any wearer, killing them rather rapidly. Fortunately, I was…distracted when I tried to put the ring on. I destroyed it soon after with the sword of Gryffindor.'

'But I thought-'

'Ah, yes, you are correct, the sword should not have been able to destroy the Horcrux; however, the sword is goblin made. Goblin made objects have special properties, one being the power to imbibe only that which strengthens it.'

'I don't understand.'

'You see, Harry, that night in the Chamber of Secrets, you stabbed the basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor, thereby coating it in basilisk venom. The sword, now impregnated with basilisk venom, is capable of destroying Horcruxes.' Dumbledore smiled softy at that, recalling that Harry must have shown him great loyalty and trust when down in the Chamber as it was Fawkes who brought Harry the Sorting Hat from which he was able to obtain the sword of Gryffindor.

'The third Horcrux that has been destroyed is Hufflepuff's cup. That took a lot of work and perhaps the story can wait for another occasion but in essence, I found the cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff and destroyed it once again with the sword of Gryffindor. I can only assume that one of the remaining Horcruxes belongs to Ravenclaw, the most obvious one being the Diadem; however, the Lost Diadem, as it has been called for many a year my boy, is, as you have probably already realised, lost.' Professor added the last part with another small smile. There was no way that the Diadem could be a Horcrux. It had been lost for centuries and as clever and cunning Tom Riddle was, Dumbledore suspected that he would not have bothered with that particular Founder's artifact.

'And you don't know what the other Horcruxes are then?'

'I believe I am right in assuming that Lord Voldemort's pet snake, Nagini, harbors a piece of his soul.' The Headmaster paused for a moment after that. Sighing, the elderly wizard continued. 'A couple of years ago, I thought I had found another. I travelled to a cave which Tom Riddle had visited as a child and found what I believed to be a Horcrux, alas, when I took a closer look at, I discovered that someone else had learned of Voldemort's Horcruxes and had taken the real one. I have the fake right here.' Dumbledore dug his hand into the pocket of his robe, in search of the object. When he finally pulled his hand out of the pocket, he passed a locket of heavy gold with a serpentine _S_ in green stone to Harry who studied it carefully. 'Inside, you will find a note from the one who took the real locket.'

Harry looked up into the Headmaster's glittering blue eyes before turning his eyes back to the locket which he opened carefully. As he had been told, inside was a folded piece of yellow parchment. Unfolding the note, Harry found in tiny, smart writing, the message.

_To the Dark Lord,_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more._

_R.A.B_

'Naturally, I have searched everywhere for the real Horcrux but to no avail.'

'Who-'

'Regulus Arcturus Black.' Dumbledore answered sadly before Harry could finish the question.

Harry looked up again, confused. 'Sirius' brother?'

Albus just gave the teen a small nod. 'I am afraid that Regulus died shortly after he discovered the truth. Sirius always believed his younger brother to be truly dark but this' Albus gestured to the locket in Harry's hands, 'would suggest otherwise. Both Sirius and Regulus lived in this house at one point in their lives so naturally, I searched the place many times. I fear that after his death, Mundungus Fletcher raided Sirius' house in search of valuable belongings that could be sold; I am afraid that the locket ended up as one of those items. I have, of course, questioned him, but I am no closer to finding the Horcrux.'

Harry found the locket strangely familiar as he passed it from one hand to the other. He was sure that he had seen it before, but he couldn't, for the life of him, remember where he had seen it.

'I feel that I have intruded on you far too long. I will leave the locket in your possession; I have no use for it now. I will bid you goodbye. Allow me to find Severus and then we shall leave you in peace.' As he stood up, Albus moved over to Harry, who remained perched on his chair, and he gave the teen's shoulder a tight, affectionate squeeze. 'I truly am sorry, Harry.'

* * *

The stairs squeaked as the two made their way up the stairs of the dark hallway. Turning his head to make sure the Professor was still following, the teen turned into the living room. The room was large and spacious with old and quite formal furniture filling it quite nicely. The weak winter sunlight shone through the lace curtains, warming the dull room somewhat. Much of the furniture remained dusty and unused but the settee and arm chair, which Harry and Draco had use a couple of times since arriving at the house, had been cleaned and could be sat in comfortably.

Upon entering the room, Draco turned to ascertain the Professor's reaction. He was met with a sneer which surprisingly comforted him. For a moment, he felt as if he were still at school and his Head of House had called him into his office for a chat.

'It was incredibly foolish of you Draco. What were you thinking?' Snape's dark eyes fiercely bore into the blonde's grey ones. 'What possessed you to do that? Then, on top of that extremely idiotic stunt, you came to _Potter_ of all people.' The potions master spat out Harry's name as if it were a piece of filth.

'I didn't think that-'

'No Draco, that is exactly it. You didn't think. Stupid boy. Did you not consider the repercussions of such a stunt had it gone wrong?'

Draco's mood darkened considerably. 'No, I was just trying to help.' His voice was now small and pathetic; there was not force behind it.

'Help whom exactly? From where I stand, you have helped no one.' Snape hissed as anger coursed through his veins. 'All you have exceeding in doing is causing the death of one of the more important and prominent ministry workers and angering the Dark Lord. I do not know what you are playing at Malfoy but you hade better stop it. You think you are so grown up but you know nothing. You are still merely a child, not the adult that you pretend to be.'

Gobsmacked, Draco stood silently, his mouth moving slightly as he tried to formulate an argument. 'I, whose side are you on anyway? What are you doing with _him_?'

'That is none of your concern and you will do well to remember that!' The man snapped at the blonde, his temper rising. 'Why Potter? What was going through your head when you decided to go to him of all people?'

'I, err, he owed me' Draco stated weakly. When he did not elaborate, Snape persisted.

'Owed you what?'

'It doesn't matter. Let's not talk about it.'

'No, Draco, let's talk about it.'

Draco kept his mouth shut. He didn't know why, but he felt that he should keep that to himself. Severus, on the other hand, did not want to drop the subject. When Draco looked up to his old Professor, he found the man with his wand out. Fear gripped Draco as she stared at the man; however, what Snape did next was not what he expected. He felt a sudden intrusion into his mind; it was an uncomfortable feeling; however, he did not have time to dwell on that as all of a sudden, memories came to the forefront of his mind as if someone was digging through a box of his old thoughts. Panic flooded the blonde as a particular memory came flooding back. He was sat in front of Potter in Azkaban, talking about helping the teen to escape.

When Snape found what he had wanted to see, he pulled out of Draco's mind, a mutinous look on his face.

'What the hell-'

'What did I just see, Mr. Malfoy?' The words were hissed dangerously and Draco knew there was no point in lying.

'I had to help him. I couldn't live with myself, I just couldn't. The nightmares of that night down in the dungeons… he was so, so weak and he had been tortured for hours and I saw the glee my father got out from it. It was disgusting and I had had enough of the guilt…' Draco couldn't continue as sobs wracked his body. It all seemed so vivid again; the blood, the screams. He couldn't deal with it.

Snape said no more as the teen cried into his hands. Some considerable time later, when Draco had finally calmed down, the blonde asked the man a question.

'Why are you here?'

'Your parents are quite worried. They asked that if I were to find you, I check that you are safe and out of harms way. I do not think that I will inform them of your choice of companion; they would not be too pleased with that. Your mother would like for you to return home; however, considering the situation and your parent's proximity to the Dark Lord, I would suggest that it would be wiser to estrange yourself from them for a while. I will, of course, inform them of your decisions when I next meet with them.'

'Oh, right.' Although Draco missed his mother and felt terribly guilty for leaving her, he was not sure how he felt about seeing his father. He had been taken by surprise when Lucius had let him flee after the catastrophe with Thicknesse. 'How did you find me then? I thought that this place was supposed to be protected.'

Severus sighed. Teenagers were too much trouble for their own good.

'The Headmaster has been watching this house closely. He quickly realised that you had taken up residents here. Do not ask me why he has been watching this slum, I do not know.'

* * *

Dumbledore and Snape made their way to the front door in the hallway. Snape, Harry noticed, appeared to be almost running to the door, obviously eager to leave the house as quickly as possible. Upon reaching the door, Professor Dumbledore turned to Harry and Draco, a small smile on his lips.

'Thank you for sparing your time. I believe our visit has been productive. I do hope you had an enjoyable conversation with Mr. Malfoy.' Albus turned to the man clad in black but Snape merely sneered. 'There was obviously no need for your worry Severus, Draco is quite safe.'

'I can see that' snarled the potions master.

Harry looked up to the potions master, his eyes wide. _I can see that._ The words made Harry tremble as if the man was about to turn on him and cast every dark curse he knew. Harry truly expected the man to shout _Crucio_, wand pointed at his chest. His head started to spin. Squeezing his eyes shut, Harry took a deep breath. He opened his eyes just in time to see the two men leave. He looked over to Draco, who was now giving him a strange look. Neither teen said anything, but after a moment, Draco moved up the stairs, making his way to his room.

Stumbling slightly, Harry turned to the kitchen. He had to use the wall for support as he moved into the room. A splitting headache raged throughout his head. He felt sick. Hot liquid streamed down his nose quickly and thickly. Harry only had time to move a hand away from his damp upper lip and see the sticky red substance when he collapsed face down onto the cold, hard tiled floor. His head made contact with a sickening thud and everything went black as he allowed the memories to take over his mind.

* * *

When Draco left his room half an hour later, he found the whole house dark and quiet. He found himself with the foreboding feeling that something was seriously wrong. Usually by this time, Potter would have turned on some of the lights and Draco would be able to smell the wafts of diner coming up from the kitchen. The situation unnerved Draco, so he decided to investigate. Pulling out his wand, he cast a quite Lumos and gingerly made his way down the stairs. He checked every room on the way to the kitchen. He couldn't remember hearing Potter make his way upstairs but checking did not do any harm. When he found nothing, he took the last set of stairs with some trepidation. It all felt wrong. Nothing was right here. He did not notice the body when he first entered the kitchen. He called out the teen's name but when he received no reply, he lit up the entire room. What he found made his stomach churn and flip; Harry was lying face down in a pool of his own blood, convulsing as if he was under the Cruciatus curse.

Draco took a step back, his mind going into shock at the sight of his school enemy on the ground, blood coating his clothes. The teen's glasses lay just above his head, the lenses smashed, the fragments of glass scattered over the floor. Harry continued to shake, his body twisting in pain. Draco's heart beat faster and faster, sweat gathering on his forehead as he started to panic. He didn't know what to do. He didn't really like Potter that much but he could just leave him to die. Swallowing the lump in his throat Draco hesitantly neared the other teen and knelt down by his side. He took Harry's shoulders and shook them, calling his name.

'Potter. Potter, wake up!' Draco almost felt like crying when there was no response. The body continued to writhe, blood pumping from his head and nose. 'Please Potter, please, just wake up!' Draco felt tears burning behind his eyes but he forced himself to calm down. 'Harry? Harry, can you hear me?' When once again he received no response from the raven headed teen, Draco stood and ran over to the fireplace. He crouched down and grabbed a handful of floo powder, tossing it onto the lit wood. As the flame burst into a vibrant green Draco bent his head into the fire and called out, 'The Burrow.'

Moments later he could see into the Weasley home. At first he couldn't see anyone but he immediately thought of Ginny. He knew that she had been to visit Harry and they seemed very close. She had been very good with him, managing to calm him and actually have a decent conversation with him without him throwing a hissy fit. However before he could call her name, Ronald Weasley and Granger appeared. Hermione noticed Draco first and rushed over to the fireplace, curious. Ron soon realised what was going on and joined her, both looking at Draco quizzically.

'Malfoy?' Ron asked, surprised. 'What the hell do you want?'

'Fuck!' Draco swore. 'Oh, to hell with it. Look, Potter needs help. Now!'

'What?' Hermione piped up. 'What's wrong?'

'I don't know but he's bleeding and he seems to be having a fit of some kind!'

'Okay, just calm down, Draco.' Hermione said gently.

'Don't tell me to calm down you…you- fuck it, just get here already!'

'Well where are you?' Ron growled.

'Grimmauld Place.'

'Okay,' Hermione replied, standing slightly. 'Move out of the way and we'll be over in just a second.'

'No. Potter blocked the floo connection. You'll have to apparate here.'

Hermione nodded and stood but Ron stopped her. 'Hey, how do we know that we can trust him?' he hissed. 'He's a Death Eater, this could be a trick.'

Hermione looked at him, worry in her eyes. 'Well we're just going to have to risk it. If Harry is in trouble, we need to help him.'

'I just don't want you to get hurt.' Ron whispered. 'What if he takes you and harms you?'

Hermione smiled gently and stroked her boyfriend's cheek. 'Ron, it's okay to be scared-'

'Oh for Merlin's sake, just get over here! Potter needs help or he'll die and I don't want that on my conscience!'

Ron gave Draco an unsure look but nodded none the less. 'We'll be right there.'

Draco pulled back from the fire and hurried over to Harry's side. He had stopped shaking so much and the bleeding seemed to have slowed slightly but his skin was ice cold. Draco shoved his right arm under Harry's chest and carefully turned him onto his back. The blonde gasped at the sight of Harry's face. If he didn't know who it was, Potter would be unrecognizable to anyone. His face was a mess of blood. It coated his skin and mattered in his hair. His eyes were close but they were obviously rolling back into his head. Draco quickly placed his index finger on the teen's neck to check how fast his pulse was. He could feel it gradually getting slower as Harry went limp in his arms.

Draco nearly cried for joy when someone began pounding at the front door. He laid Harry's head back down and ran to the door, unlocking it and flinging it open.

'Hurry! He's down in the kitchen.'

Ron and Hermione rushed passed him and down to Harry. Draco followed to the door then stopped to watch them. Hermione began to inspect Harry's body all over, immediately casting numerous spells. Ron had knelt by his best friend and cradled his head in his lap, desperately trying to get Harry to wake up. The teen called his friend's name again and again, becoming more and more distraught as Harry remained unconscious.

Draco put a hand to his mouth, feeling sick. 'Malfoy, are you going to help or just stand there?' Ron grumbled.

'I don't think I can. I feel a bit sick.' Draco closed his eyes, trying not to think about the situation he had found himself in. The smell of blood was thick in the air and it was becoming too much for the blonde to bear. Turning away from the scene Draco lent against the door, his head hung as he tried to calm his queasy stomach. 'Sorry,' he gasped, rushing from the room. 'I can't do this.'

'Fine, then piss off!' Ron shouted, his voice breaking as Harry remained still in his arms. 'Hurry, Hermione, I don't think he can last much longer.'

Hermione ignored her boyfriend and frantically waved her wand over Harry's body, whispering spell after spell.

Draco hurried away and up the stairs and shut himself in the living room. He plonked down on one of the armchairs and rested his head in his sweaty, shaking hands. He inhaled slowly through his nose; eyes squeezed shut and let out the breath in a gush. When he had calmed his racing heart he opened his eyes and dropped his hands to his side. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been. Why did he have to be such a wimp? What was wrong with him? It was only blood for Merlin's sake, and it wasn't as if it was his own. He had simple freaked out at the realization that Potter could die right there, in front of him. If the teen were to die at that very moment, Draco didn't want to be the only one there. He didn't want to be there full stop. He had seen enough deaths in the recent months alone; he didn't and could deal with witnessing anymore. What mad things worse was the fact that it was Potter. Draco had been trying to rid himself of the memory of Potter covered in blood, writing with pain as his captors tortured him senseless and seeing the boy like that again had brought back those horrific images and memories for the second time that day.

What felt like hours was really only minutes and soon Ron appeared at the door. Draco looked up as the red head cleared his throat.

'Thanks for letting us know.' Ron muttered quietly, looking away. 'He's fine now, still unconscious but he's breathing normally and he's stopped bleeding.'

Draco nodded and stood on wobbly legs. 'Okay, well that's good, I suppose.'

'Yeah, well now we just need to get him up to his room and I could do with some help. He's not as small as he was when we were at school and I don't think I can lift him myself.'

Draco thought about this and frowned. He didn't really like the idea of dragging Potter up three flights of stairs but he guessed it was the least his could do seeing as he did nothing to help save him. When the blonde nodded again Ron led the way back down to the kitchen.

'I'll only help if you take the armpits, I'm doing the ankles.' Draco grumbled causing a small chuckle from the other teen.

* * *

Yay! Another chapter! Please review. I had lots of reviews this time and it made me really happy. I got really excited so please let me know what you all think of this chapter! :)

**Allen Pitt- **Thanks for the review. Kreacher will come it into the story later but he's not living in the house at the moment. You'll find out later where he's been. I didn't mention him before really because I had already decided that he wouldn't be there so I forgot to mention that he wasn't at the house when Harry and Draco arrvied. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Thanks! :)

**Victoria of Menphis- **Thank you! I'm glad that you think that Snape and Draco are well writen, I hope I kept Snape in character in this chapter. Ginny and Harry will have more time together later on and Draco will also be involved slightly. I'm trying to make it funny at the moment but I'm not too good at humour. :)

**jafr86-** Thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. :)

**Caelhir- **Dumbledore is a twat but we do see an angry Harry in this chapter a bit. Yeah, I just read the seventh one again to remind myself of all the Horcruxes and stuff. Glad you liked it, looking forward to you're next review. :p

**MissCassiebaby-** Remus and Tonks will be in the next chapter and someone will visit them letting them know about Harry. Thanks for reviewing! :)

**Bob Hammilton- **Yeah, I finally got around to it. I've been planning this chapter for ages and it feels weird to write it up and suddenly bring up the Horcruxes after so long. :)

**Nanchih-** He really should, shouldn't he? Dumbles is a prick and he really pisses me off but poor Harry can't help but forgive the old coot. Okay, now Harry is a right twat!

**CountDoom- **Well I did intend it to be an Harry and Ginny story but you'll just have to wait and see what happens. :) Don't worry, you won't have to wait long to see more of them together.

**Mei fa-chan- **Thank you! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter too. :)

**HP18-** I know, Harry is far too kind to everyone and forgives really easily. However, he did get all mad and angry at the old man in this chapter so...Poor sod. :)

**Lightbulb Moments- **Aww, thank you so much! Sorry to make you cry! I hope you really liked this chapter. Thank you also for adding me as one of your fav authors. That made me soooo happy! :)

**Miz636- **I loved your review. Thanks so much. :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will try to update as soon as I can.


	19. A Waking Mind

Hi, sorry I haven't updated in so long. I had a load of course work to do and I still haven't finished but...oh well.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_A Waking Mind_

'_I can see that.' Harry could have recognized that voice from a mile away even in his current state. He began to panic; his chest was rising at a rapid rate. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak, call out, cry. It was hopeless. Even though he hated the man, Professor Snape was the only chance he had at escaping from this hell._

_In his panic, he missed what was said next but once the spell hit him, he knew exactly what had been spoken. White hot knives stabbed at his body. Nowhere was free of the pain; it was everywhere and if he could have screamed he would have but his tortured vocal cords would not allow it. He felt hot, salty tears slide down his checks as he was finally released from the Cruciatus curse. His writhing stopped as he took in large, deep but yet shaky breaths. However, he managed only two gulps of air before he was subjected to another curse by his hated potions master._

_Harry could make out the Stinking hexes followed by cutting curses before his brain started to shut down. He couldn't think clearly. Pain surrounded every fibre of his torn, weak body. Blood poured out of the many contusions that were scattered across him. His lungs hurt with every breath and just sitting up was a monumental task._

_Harry wasn't sure how long he had been under the curse for but finally it drew to a stop. Harry lay on his back, panting heavily. He was dazed, confused and in a considerable amount of pain. He wanted it to end. He wanted to die._

'_Oh, don't stop there, Severus. Perhaps they should have a taste of the spell that you made up when you were at Hogwarts?'_

_There was silence for a moment._

'_You know the one, Severus.' the blonde Death Eater continued. 'The spell that__flails the skin.'_

_The potions master made no noise for a moment and Harry hoped with all his might that Snape had no idea what the man was talking about. Unfortunately, it was not the case._

'_You realise, Lucius, that if I do that, I will be forced to heal him straight away. He would lose too much blood otherwise and I believe that the Dark Lord wishes for the man to remain alive for some time at least.'_

'_Well, it should be entertaining to watch his reaction anyway, even if it is short lived.'_

_There was more silence. After a moment or so, even with the coarse material covering his face, Harry could have sworn that he heard a sigh._

'_Sectumsempra' Snape spoke softly as he enunciated the spell as if it was nothing more than __Lumos__ or another simple charm._

_Pain spasmed through Harry as his skin was ripped apart across his entire body. He opened his mouth and screamed; however, the only sound that resonated from the torn throat was an unattractive gurgle. It felt like a fire was coursing through his fragile body. He needed to escape, to get away from the pain but with even the slightest of movement, he felt his skin rip further and blood poured out. Everywhere was wet and sticky and Harry felt as if he had been mauled by some wild beast, whose claws dug further and further into his flesh, tearing him to shreds._

_Lying in what felt like a river of his own blood, he heard voices again. They sounded so far away and out of reach. Maybe he was underwater. It certainly felt like it. However, with the voice, the pain died down. The failed skin began to join together again as if someone had literally zipped up the wounds. He moaned pitifully as a particularly large opening sealed shut._

'_He will need a blood replenishing potion, Lucius.'_

'_Yes, yes, I will do that when you have left.'_

_He wished that they would remove the bag from his head. If nothing more, all he wanted to see was some light. He wasn't afraid of the dark but it was so uncertain. He could never tell when someone was coming his way or when the next hex or curse would come. He was constantly on guard, waiting for the next blow._

_Harry felt the threads of consciousness begin to slip away. He welcomed it. He wanted anything but this pain. He needed to forget about the stabbing all over him or his shaking extremities but then he heard the voice again and he pulled himself out of the encompassing darkness._

_His pitiful cry of 'Professor' only made the two men laugh at his despair. He tried again to call out to his potions master but only a croak could be heard. Coughing followed and Harry felt a hot, sticky substance drip from his mouth as he attempted to turn to his side._

_When the door to the dungeon closed with a resounding __thud__, Harry felt like crying. His hope was gone and he had been left for dead in a pool of his own blood. He let himself fall into the darkness; he had no reason to attempt to remain conscious. What was there to see? _

* * *

'Bloody git.' exclaimed a frustrated Ron as he threw himself down into a chair beside Harry's bed. 'He's such a bloody dickhead!'

'Ronald,' chastised Hermione from her seat on the other side of the occupied bed, 'he's obviously upset with everything that has gone on.'

'Malfoy, upset that Harry's hurt? Who are you trying to kid, Hermione? They hated each other, in case you had forgotten. Malfoy was a right arse to Harry throughout his time at Hogwarts and you think he's _upset_ about the situation? Geez woman, I thought you were supposed to be bright.' spat out the redhead.

Hermione frowned at her boyfriend, hurt by his last comment. 'Well, things have changed, haven't they' she replied coldly before turning back to the medical book she had bought with her.

There was a long silence as neither of them spoke. The only thing that could be heard were the groans from Harry who remained unconscious, stuck in his memories. Ron just stared hopelessly at his best friend. He felt completely useless sat beside his friend who was obviously suffering immensely. After a particularly loud moan and some violent thrashing from Harry, Ron turned his gaze away from the man. He was so frustrated. He was supposed to be Harry's best friend; the one who Harry turned to whenever he had a problem, the one who was meant to be there when Harry was troubled, but since his pardoning, Ron had had almost no contact with him. Ron had done nothing for the young man. He was a rotten person and a terrible friend.

'Why is he here anyway?' questioned Ron after a while. 'I mean, I'm Harry's best friend, you know? Not Malfoy. I'm the one who is supposed to be living with him, not Ferret Face. Harry should be coming to me if he's got problems. He's supposed to hang out with me, get drunk, and party all night, you know, that kind of stuff.' Ron finished lamely. 'The stuff best friends do together.' The redhead gripped his head with his hand when Harry cried out again.

Hermione closed her book and gave her boyfriend a sad smile. 'I don't think it is like that, Ron. I don't believe that Harry and Draco are friends. I think something must have happened to Malfoy and Harry offered to take him in. I mean, Malfoy didn't seem too comfortable around Harry. I think Harry must have been really lonely to do that though.' She paused for a minute, trying to think of the best way to tell Ron something that would hurt him. 'Ron, you've got to appreciate that things have changed. Harry, he may… Harry may not consider you his best friend any more.' At her boyfriends outraged look, she quickly continued, 'Think about it, Ron. Neither of us visited Harry whilst he was in Azkaban and things were really awkward when he visited the Burrow. He hasn't come to see us since and, as much as I hate to admit it, we've been rubbish friends to him. We haven't been there for him.' A tear fell from he wet eyes as she spoke. When she looked up to Ron, she noticed his red rimmed eyes and defeated posture.

* * *

_Harry groaned as the door was thrown open. Light bathed the dark room and the teen was forced to close his tired eyes against the brightness. Without his glasses, everything was a blur, but having spent a lot of his time with this man recently, he knew who the new occupant of the room was. Why couldn't he just leave him alone; he wanted to sleep, to get away from everything. Alas, as Professor Dumbledore would say, peace would not come._

_Rough hands grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him up so that his tattered body was leaning against the hard, stone wall. Coarse material was shoved ungraciously over his head, covering his face. Harry reacted as he always did when the bag was placed over him; he panicked. The dark meant he had to rely on his hearing but in this echoey room, that was difficult and so deciphering where anybody else was became almost impossible. _

_The bag was tightened around his throat, cutting into it. The hands grabbed him again and he was callously thrown into the middle of the room to await his first torturer of the day. Or was it night? Harry had lost count of the number of days he had been here a long time ago.__All he knew was that it had been several hours since his last torture session; he felt himself beginning to recover. His shaking from the Cruciatus curse had diminished some what and he knew that he had stopped bleeding._

_He felt sick now though. The wait was terrible, almost as bad as the actual torture. Harry was left to sit alone, in the dark, and think about what possible torture methods were going to be used on him next. The whip or Bellatrix's knife? Perhaps just wand work. Each thought sent Harry's mind into further panic. His chest heaved as he tried to calm himself but the fear he felt was eating away at his self control. He didn't know how much more of this he could take._

* * *

'I just can't work it out' cried an exasperated Hermione as she threw the heavy medical book onto the floor. A loud thud echoed through the room as the book came into contact with the floor and dust billowed up from the old carpet.

'What? What's wrong?' Ron had just entered the room, his arms laden with food and drinks. He handed the bushy haired woman a cold glass of water and placed the food tray down on the bedside table.

'Harry. I'm really worried about him. Shouldn't he be awake now? I mean the hit to his head didn't look that bad but maybe we should take him to St. Mungos or at least get someone to look at him.'

'You and I both know he would hate that, Hermione.'

'Well, what do you suggest then? Why is he thrashing around and crying out in pain? This can't just be a dream can it?'

Ron shrugged. 'He did always have bad nightmares at school.'

'Oh, this is so frustrating. Come on, Harry, wake up' Hermione pleaded quietly as she gripped tightly onto Harry's hand. She moved her soft thumb over the jagged scar that he received in his fifth year from Umbridge. The hideous scar that spelled out _I must not tell lies_ sent shivers up Hermione's spine. Nothing seemed to go right for Harry.

Hermione stopped staring at Harry's hand when she realised that the moans had stopped. She looked up at Ron who was gazing at Harry's face with a hopeful expression. He had obviously also noticed the change in Harry as he had moved closure to the bed. Hermione followed her boyfriend's gaze to Harry's face and she let out a small gasp when she saw his eyelids flutter open and close.

'Harry, mate. Come on, open you eyes.'

'Harry, Harry?' called Hermione softly.

* * *

Harry flickered his heavy eyelids open but the bright light from the lamp beside his bed assaulted his emerald orbs and he immediately closed them again. When he tried again, he noticed and mass of ginger directly above him and he tried to smile, thinking that it was Ginny. He realised that soft, warm hands covered one of his. He hoped they were also Ginny's, but the voice that spoke next was not a woman's. It was a deep, familiar voice and after a moment, Harry realised it was Ron's. That meant that he must be in the hospital wing at school. What had he done now to end up here? Another voice called out his name this time; however, he had a harder time discerning it. The voice faded away and became less clear, as if he was falling underwater. He was so tired and even this small amount of thinking had strained his sore, abused head and he soon let himself slip back to sleep.

* * *

_Harry woke up when hands grabbed at his limp arms. He was turned onto his bruised and bleeding back and left to look up at father and son. They were just staring at him with their grey eyes; however, the look on their faces could not have been more different. Lucius Malfoy stared down at Harry with joy; a wide smile covered his pointed face. His son, on the other hand, looked how Harry felt. A frown graced the sixteen year olds lips as he peered down at his old school enemy. _

_Harry coughed violently. He turned his face to the side to let the blood trickle out of the side of his mouth. He had no strength to wipe his face with his hands. They felt so heavy and Harry was not sure he had much control over them anymore. The Cruciatus curse he had been subjected to earlier had lasted so long that now, hours after the event, his nerves were still complaining. He could feel himself shaking uncontrollably from the attack._

_Harry looked back up to the two Malfoy men when he heard them speaking. Lucius was no longer gazing down at Harry but instead had turned to his son._

_'You are to tell no-one that you know of the prisoner's identity.' When Draco nodded weakly, the man continued, 'I thought perhaps, because of your dislike for the boy, you would have benefitted from seeing his face as he suffers.' The blonde teen gulped audibly at this as he realised what his father wanted him to do. _

_'You have your wand like I asked, Draco?' Another nod from the younger Malfoy. 'Good, good. I think you will enjoy this perhaps even more so than when I was allowed at him for the first time. You do understand thought, Draco, that not even Bellatrix knows I have shown you that it is Potter? I am tempted to allow Severus to see the boy; however, one can never be too sure if that would be a good idea. The man spends far too much of his time with Dumbledore. The old fool could easily get Severus to spill our secrets.'_

_Draco didn't move from his spot by his father's side. His wand remained in his pocket and his feet seemed to glue themselves to the floor. He kept his eyes away from Harry's quivering body, the view making his stomach lurch. Lucius gripped his shoulder, squeezing it tightly until the boy moved towards the victim on the ground._

'_Go on Draco. Think of all the times he's annoyed you, taken things from you, embarrassed you and this family.' his father hissed. 'Do it, Draco, do it!'_

_Draco raised his wand of hawthorn and pointed the tip in Harry's direction. He steadied his shaking breath and whispered the curse Harry knew who send him into a fit of pain and distress. 'Crucio.'_

_Harry's body jolted as the spell hit him square in the chest and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His limbs rattled like that of a doll and his head thumped up and down on the ground. Oddly the pain over his body wasn't as strong as it had been before. He thought that maybe he had finally gotten used to the pain but something felt different. It felt weaker, halfhearted and Harry had a suspicion that Draco wasn't trying very hard. He could tell that this wasn't what Draco wanted and Harry felt almost sorry for the troubled teen._

* * *

A breeze of cool breath ghosted over Harry's skin as a gentle voice called his name.

'Harry? Harry, can you hear me?'

Harry inhaled deeply, his drowsy eyes flickering behind their lids. He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth while his brow furrowed into shallow crevasses. The voice continued its sweet tone but Harry was at a loss as to where it was coming from. He strained his tired mind but nothing came to him. His whole body felt stiff yet numb at the same time and with each breath he took his chest seemed to tighten, increasing the pressure on his lungs.

'Harry, are you awake?' the voice called again. 'If you can hear us, please wake up!' The voice was becoming more and more stressed as Harry's body refused to respond. Harry's mind fought against the exhaustion of his body, trying to connect the voice with the person, the face. But he saw nothing. Nothing appeared to him and soon he gave up, allowing his mind to be sucked back under into the dark depths of unconsciousness.

* * *

_Harry was held up on a cold wall by shackles that grazed the skin on his wrists and ankles. Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange where standing in front of him their wands raised. Harry had not recognized the man but when he had heard his name being called, he realised who it was and was somewhat surprised. Rodolphus was not one of Lord Voldemort's most trusted supporters. Harry did not have long to question the man's presence though. Bellatrix had walked toward him with a malicious smile plastered across her face. Her dark hair fell wildly across her pale skin. _

_'Little baby Potter. Oh, you are going to have so much fun with us here.' The glee in her voice made Harry feel sick. He closed his eyes tightly as she moved closer but jumped slightly and opened them again when he felt a cold hand on his chin. Bellatrix griped his face hard, her nails digging into his skin as she spoke. 'We are going to teach you a lesson, Harry. The Dark Lord has been ever so gracious to us.' Harry looked into the dark eyes of the crazed witch, a defiant look in his emerald orbs. 'You will learn to respect him, Potter. You will learn what happens to people who anger the Dark Lord.' She gripped harder and Harry felt a trickle of blood fall down into his neck as her nails pierced his skin._

_The woman laughed at him before slowly moving away, her eyes never leaving his. The two Death Eaters stood silently just gazing at him with triumphant looks on their faces. They only turned away when the heavy dungeon door opened with a creek and Lucius Malfoy stalked into the room._

_'Did you bring them?' Bellatrix sounded almost desperate._

_'Patience, Bella, patience' the tall blonde replied as he dropped what appeared to be a heavy bag onto the floor. Harry just stared in horror as the three other occupants moved to the objects. He felt his heart rate escalate as the Death Eater chose their torture weapons._

_Bellatrix was the first to stand again. She turned back to him, one hand behind her, hiding the chosen weapon._

_'I'll go first, I think.' The woman spoke loudly. She made no attempt to keep the excitement out of her voice._

_Harry tensed as she rushed up to him. He could hear his heart in his ears and sweat was already dripping from his brow._

_'Nervous are we, Potter? It's just a bit of harmless fun!'_

_Harry did not have a chance to see the knife blade before it was forcefully pushed into his thigh. _

_Having been caught by surprise, Harry was not prepared for the pain. He let out a yell as the blade was shoved into his skin. Bellatrix caught his eye and grinned as she pulled the blade out of his leg, twisting it violently, ripping the fleshy wound open._

_His face was covered with some sort of bag. He could see slight movements through the holes in the fabric and was only able to hear his captors when they stood above him. A rough hand grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him up into a kneeling position. At the same time, another hand ripped the bag from his head. He closed his eyes and groaned as the bright lights from wands were pointed in his direction. Taking a few moments to adjust to the light, he recognised the faces in front of him. Lucius Malfoy had his hand firmly gripped on Harry's upper arm as he dragged him across the room to a basin full of ice cold water while Bellatrix stood beside him; a large smile spread across her face._

_Before he could understand what was happening, his head was forcibly submerged into the freezing water. Harry sucked in air as his face entered the liquid. A big mistake. He began to choke, struggling to be released from the grip on his head and arm. He started panicking; he couldn't breath. His face began to go numb. He couldn't move. He couldn't breath. He was going to die. Just as this thought crossed his mind, the hand released the pressure on his skull and his head shot out of the water. He coughed and spluttered, struggling to get enough air into his lungs. He tried to move away from the two figures but his hands were tied together behind his back and Lucius Malfoy refused to release his grip. The only thing he could hear was Bellatrix cackling in the background._

'_Did you not like that baby Potter? No? Perhaps another go would change your mind?' And it happened again. The hand thrust his head forward and the torture started once more._

* * *

The warm sun sent rays of light through the curtains of Harry's bedroom window. The white light poured over his pale skin, gently warming his whole body. Harry rolled over onto his side slowly, grunting when his head hammered in protest. Once the pain had subsided he buried his face into the soft, fluffy pillows and inhaled deeply. The fabric smelt clean and fresh, waking his groggy mind. After a few minutes of bathing in the crisp winter sun Harry pushed himself up onto his elbows and glanced towards the window. The sky was a clear ice blue and pure white snow sat on the window ledge.

Harry sat up in bed and pushed back the blankets but regretted it right away. The cold morning air hit him like a rock and he shivered violently. He hurriedly dived across the room to his wardrobe where he pulled out a pile of random clothes. He was in the middle of pulling on a pair of worn jeans when he spotted the first scar. It was faint but he could just make out the long, thin line under his jaw in the mirror. It went from just behind his right ear, almost to the tip of his chin. He ran a finger over the pale blemish, wondering where it had come from. It was then that he remembered. He could see it all again. Down in the cellar. Lucius. Bellatrix. Rodolphus. Malfoy. Snape. They were all there at one time or another. They had all been there and had all attacked him. He could see the scars, one after another, scattered all over his body. It seemed as if they were only just appearing. As the memories came back he could finally see what they had done to him. Each mark was from a different memory it seemed but why had never noticed them before?

Harry had long forgotten the clothes that now lay by his feet. He was too busy examining his body, all the scars that had been there for years but he had never really noticed them. He turned his back to the mirror and let out a shaky breath. The skin on his back was a mass of scarred tissue. There didn't seem to be an area that wasn't marred with old knife wounds or whip marks. He knew that these scars would never fade and that they would be a constant reminder of the hell he had been put through for the rest of his life.

* * *

I hope you all liked it. If anyone is confused, don't worry. This was bsically just Harry remembering everything that happened when he was captured by the Death Eaters and held in Malfoy Manor. You don't really need to know anything about it to understand the rest of the story but if you have questions please ask and I will try to answer them at the end of the next chapter.

**Allen Pitt- **The locket will come into it a bit later and you will find out what happened to it too and i know that i say this every time but there will but more Ron and Hermione soon. Sorry if i'm keeping you all waiting. I feel bad now. :) Thanks for reviewing!

**Mei fa-chan-** I'm glad you liked it. Please review! :)

**Caelhir- **Aww, thank you soooo much! Don't worry I understand why you might have ben confused about the keys. Basically Remus wanted to appear more muggle like so no one suspected them. He did this by getting some keys for the house and he gave some to Tonks when she moved in. Then he gave some to Harry. When Tonks found the keys on the door mat in the hall she thought that they might be Remus' but they weren't, then she thought that they were her own but she then found hers in a kitchen draw where she left them (she never uses them anyway) so then she realised that they were Harry's and that he had left them when he left the house. I can see why you might have not understood but don't worry, it's not a big deal or anything. :) Thanks for the review!

**Bob Hammilton- **I just realised that Harry seems to have an awful lot of fits in this story! Thanks for reviewing! :)

**Nanchih-** Well, that's Dumbledore for you. A bit of a twat if you ask me. You made me laugh so much. I can just imagine the old man going to Neville and telling him that he had to go fight the Dark Lord. Poor Neville, I think he would wet himself right there and then!


	20. Confessions

Hi! I hope you guys like this chapter! It's not the best one but there is a little surprise at the end.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Confessions_

Harry stared once again at his reflection in the wardrobe mirror, his eyes scanning over the entire stretch of his torso. Scars everywhere. They were scattered and dotted all over his once smooth, pale skin, which was now a mess of angry marks and blemishes. As he examined himself in the mirror he failed to notice someone appearing at the door. He only became aware of their presence when a loud clatter of plates and cutlery hitting the floor shook him from his thoughts. He spun around to see Hermione in the door way, her hands covering her mouth. On the floor by her feet was an upturned tray which had been laden with breakfast plates and a cup of tea.

'Oh my god…Harry' Hermione whimpered her eyes filled with unshed tears. 'Oh, Harry…' Seconds later a panting Ron rushed in but stopped short when he noticed the spilt food and broken china.

'Hey, what happened, Hermione? Oh, hey, are you okay, baby?' Ron put an arm around her shoulders as she wept. The redhead looked up at Harry who was hurriedly pulling on a t-shirt to hide his body. 'Hi mate, are you feeling okay?' Nodding quickly Harry pulled on a pair of loose fitting jeans and tried to ignore the odd stars he was receiving from Ron.

'H-his b-back…' Hermione whispered to her boyfriend. 'his back is covered in…' She stopped as another round of tears cascaded down her flushed cheeks.

'What?' Ron asked, confused. 'What about his back? Covered in what?'

'In scars!' she cried. 'Harry, why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you let us know how badly they had hurt you? Oh god, we should have guessed.' She turned to Ron and thumped him in the chest. 'why didn't you make me check?'

'Check what?' the redhead scowled, rubbing his ribs. Hermione was thin and small but she could sure pack a punch.

'Ron, you are useless. Harry, why didn't you show them to us before? I could have tried to heal them or something.'

Harry, who had been watching the interaction awkwardly, now stared at Hermione with surprise. 'Why would I tell you? It's none of your business so why they hell should I let you know about it? I haven't seen you properly in almost four years and it's not like you've made an effort to come and see me since the trial. Why would I have asked for your help?'

'I could have tried to heal some of the scars.'

'What makes you think you could have done that? These scars are years old. If they haven't heal themselves by now there're never going to fade. This is how I'm gonna look for the rest of my life so I better get used to it.'

'But Harry, you shouldn't have to suffer alone and we have been trying to see you!' She added the last part somewhat frustrated at how their attempts to see him had, for the most part, been in vain. 'We care about you Harry and we are both immensely sorry for what has happened to you but...'

'I don't need your sympathy!' spat Harry and the two who had moved slightly awkwardly into the room.

The room fell silent as the three looked at each other. Harry stared at his old best friends intently. Ron had one arm slung around Hermione's shoulder whilst the other scratched the back of his neck, a habit he found himself doing in uncomfortable situations. He hadn't changed from the sixteen year old that Harry had been best friends with. His bright red hair was cut short and freckles still littered his arms and face. There was something different about his eyes though and it took Harry a moment to realise what it was; the blue orbs were older, wiser and more mature. They looked lovingly at Hermione and for a brief moment, Harry was jealous of his the man who stood in front of him. He envied the man who had been surrounded by love and affection for the entirety of his life. He was jealous of the man who had found love and who could look forward old age with excitement, anticipation and curiosity. The man standing tall in front of him did not have the daunting tasks ahead of him that Harry would soon have complete. He did not have the prophecy looming dangerously over him, weighing him down. He was not responsible for ridding the magical world of Lord Voldemort. However, the thing that hit Harry the hardest was not all of these but that the man in front of him was simply happy.

Hermione broke the silence after a while. She maneuvered herself out of Ron's arm and turned slightly to the door.

'I'll just clean this up and then we should have a chat.' With a quick Scourify, the breakfast tray righted itself and the bushy haired woman bend down and picked it up. 'I did have breakfast for you but...' she nodded her head to the now empty tray as she moved into the middle of the room.

'Err, right. Thanks' Harry said lamely and he made his way to the bed. When he had made himself comfortable on the squishy mattress, he gazed out of the window; his back now on the Ron and Hermione. There was another moment of silence before Harry spoke once more. 'Why are you here?'

'Well, you're ill, mate. We came straight over when Malfoy flooed us.' As Ron spat out the name in disgust, a violent shiver ascended Harry's spine.

He had forgotten that Draco was also living in the house. At the thought of the blonde teen, Harry felt slightly sick. When he had visited Harry in Azkaban, the blonde had told Harry that he was repaying him for what his father had done but now Harry was not so sure. The memory of the timid teen standing over him, wand poised, and his father, looming over the two of them, a smile plastered across his face, had caused Harry to rethink about the reasons for Draco Malfoy's actions. The boy had tortured him for what felt like hours and although it was clear that he had not been willing, he had not refused.

Anger boiled in Harry's veins as the memory floated on the surface of his mind. Malfoy had given him a lot of grief over what he had done for him and how he didn't really need to do anything for Harry. Now, now Harry knew and the Draco that Harry thought he had gotten to know over the last couple of weeks was a lie. Draco Malfoy had not turned himself around from his school days; he was still a manipulating, selfless little bastard.

'What's wrong with me?' Harry asked, not really caring as he stared, unseeing, out of the grubby window.

No one answered for a moment but even with his back to them, Harry knew that the two were sharing a look. He heard a slight movement before he felt the bed dip either side of him.

'Well, we're not really sure, mate. You, well, you sort of had a fit. It was really scary actually. Hermione wanted to take you to St. Mungo's at one point.'

'Right' was all Harry could manage.

'You feel alright now, though?' Hermione's voice almost pleaded and as an answer, Harry merely nodded his head jerkily.

'Look, Harry. I really think we should have a chat, about, well, everything really.'

Harry's eyes remained focus on something neither Ron nor Hermione could see and his voice was distant and quiet.

'Yeah.'

'I think we should start from the beginning, when you were sentenced to Azkaban.' Hermione's voice began a strangled whisper at the last word, as if saying quietly would mean that it never happened.

The three remained sitting on Harry's bed, one either side of the Boy Who Lived for several hours as they spoke, shouted, whispered and cried about everything that had happened since the disastrous summer three and a half years previously.

Remus Lupin nearly jumped out of his seat when the doorbell rang. He rushed to his feet and almost spri

* * *

nted into the hall way. He was hoping that maybe it was Harry, that he had finally decided to come back. Remus felt ashamed for the way he had behaved when all Harry was doing was trying to help. Tonks had also been rather upset as it had also been her own fault that the teen had left. She hadn't meant what she had said, she had just been in a bad mood because of the fight.

When Remus reached the door he flung it open expectantly but frowned when he was that it wasn't the boy.

'Expecting someone else?' Albus Dumbledore asked in a cheery tone. 'Sorry if you'd rather it was someone other then myself, I simply wanted to talk with yourself and your wife. May I?' the elder man asked, indicating the door.

Remus nodded and stepped aside to let the man in. Once he had shut the door he led the way to the kitchen where Tonks was feeding Teddy his lunch.

'Good afternoon, Nymphadora. How are you today?'

Tonks smiled despite the name and replied, 'Wotcher, I'm fine thanks, you?'

The old wizard chuckled and helped himself to a chair at the table. 'I am very well, my dear. I was just telling Remus that I was hoping to have a quick chat to the both of you, if that's okay with you?'

'Oh, umm, okay, yes…I'll just put Teddy down for his nap. Be right back.' She lifted the sleepy toddler and slung him gently onto the hip and made her way out to the stairs.

When Tonks returned to the kitchen the two wizards were simply passing pleasant comments between themselves. Tonks scowled when she saw that Remus still hadn't offered the elder man a cup of tea and she quickly went about making a pot.

'So, Albus, what was it that you wanted to talk about?' Remus asked somewhat nervously. He was sure the headmaster knew that Harry was missing. The man made it his life's mission to always know the whereabouts of the boy at all times. He probably knew that Harry had run off and had come here to tell Remus and Tonks how disappointed he was.

'Hmm, I simply wanted to have a chat about Harry. I know that you looked after him for sometime and I wanted to thank you. You have been of great help and I'm sure that Harry also appreciates it.'

Remus smiled stiffly, wringing his hands under the table. Tonks had been pouring a cup of tea for the headmaster but slipped when Harry's name was mentioned. Dumbledore looked up at her as she placed the cup and saucer in front of him. Her hand was shaking so much that the drink spilled from the cup and splashed onto the surface of the table.

'S-sorry.' Tonks mumbled and ran off to grab a dishcloth to clean the mess.

'It is quite alright, Nymphadora. Hmm, it's a shame that Harry isn't here to have tea with us isn't it?'

'Um, yes.' Remus stuttered. 'Yes, sorry, he just um…he just popped out for a bit…' The headmaster raised an eyebrow as he took a sip from of his drink. Tonks sat next to her husband at the table and held her hands in her lap, trying to keep calm. 'He'll be back shortly.'

'I see.' Dumbledore said quietly. The three adults sat in silence, each drinking their tea carefully. Remus and Tonks waited for the older wizard to speak again but he remained silent. Tonks soon began to fidget in her seat and Remus could tell that she was ready to burst.

'Albus, we-'

'I'm so sorry!' Tonks cut off her husband as she shouted loudly across the table. 'We didn't mean for him to run off! He just left and we didn't know until we came home and I'm really sorry cause I know that it was my fault. I just wasn't thinking at the time. Remus and I are really sorry! Please don't be mad, Albus! I-I…I-' Then suddenly the woman burst into a flood of tears, her body shaking.

Remus put his arm around Tonks' shoulders and pulled her close. 'I'm sorry, Albus. Harry and I got into a fight about a week ago and I stormed out. Tonks then had a go at the boy and when we came home he was gone. He and Malfoy had packed their things and left. We haven't heard from them since.'

Dumbledore nodded and placed his tea cup back onto the saucer. 'It's quite alright, I know where he is and he's absolutely fine. There's really no need to worry yourselves anymore.'

Remus and Tonks both looked up at the man in shock. He already knew? He must have been laughing at the both of them as they tried to act as if everything was normal.

'Where is he?' Remus asked once he had calmed down.

Dumbledore looked uncertain and shook his head. 'I'm sorry but I don't think that I have the right to say. Harry doesn't want anyone to know where he is staying and I shall respect that wish. Mmm, Nymphadora, any chance of another cup of tea?'

It was late in the evening and Harry found himself alone in the kitchen, cradling and now cold mug of tea. His

* * *

mind wondered as he sat hunched over on the wooden chair. The talk he had with Hermione and Ron had been a long and arduous one but successful nonetheless. The two had left earlier that afternoon to give him a bit of space; however, now that they were gone, he found himself in desperate need of company.

He did not shudder as the door bell rang and Mrs. Black's portrait began to holler. Instead, he groaned, stiffly got up from the chair and made his way to the hall where he silence the woman with a few coarse words and a wave of his wand.

He was somewhat surprised to find the youngest Weasley standing on his front door but as she turned to smile warmly at him, his heart fluttered and butterflies invaded his stomach.

'Ginny?'

'Hey, Harry. Can I come in?' She moved closer to the door even before Harry could reply and he guessed that she was not going to take 'no' for an answer. He moved aside and she hopped through.

'Um, let's go to the living room.' Harry asked tentatively as he closed the door.

'Yeah, alright' and she quickly made her way upstairs landing before entering the living room.

As Harry sat down, Ginny moved close to him and took his warm hand in her small one.

'I overheard Ron and Hermione talking about you just now. They said you were ill, Harry. They're really worried about you.'

'I, it's' but Harry couldn't lie to her. He couldn't tell her it was nothing because it wasn't and he needed to tell someone, to let it out. He needed to talk about it, not just the memories but the Horcruxes as well.

'Harry? Are you okay?'

'No, Ginny, I'm not,' As much of a wimp as he felt, he knew that she would not judge him and that made telling her slightly easier. 'I…it's these memories; they, they're coming back. I can remember some things and I…' Harry growled in frustration when the words would not come.

Ginny did not interrupt, though; she gently squeezed his hand to reassure him and waited patiently whilst Harry tried to collect himself.

'There are these…things, that well, they are keeping Voldemort alive and I, Dumbledore has told me about them and I'm supposed to find them and then destroy them so that I can kill Voldemort but I've got no idea what I'm supposed to be doing and Dumbledore is sort of keeping me in the dark but he still expects me to…' the words were coming out faster and faster and Harry found himself out of breath very quickly. Everything was building up and he didn't know how to deal with it. His emotions were all over the place recently; he was nearly always angry and when he wasn't he felt rather depressed and on top of that, his scar would never cease to stop prickling. Of course, there was also the relapse of memories to deal with and the new understanding of why Malfoy had helped him. Harry was not a weepy person but all of a sudden, everything spilled over in a torrent of emotion that he could not control.

Ginny stared in horror as Harry dropped to his knees, cradling his head in his hands. His shoulders shook and trembled as tears cascaded down his pink cheeks.

'I can't do this, Ginny. I can't do this anymore. I just…' Harry hid his face as more tears burned his skin. 'I'm just so scared.'

Ginny sunk to the ground and took Harry's head in her hands. Harry sobbed quietly, rubbing his red eyes with the back of his hand.

'Harry?' The raven sniffed pitifully but didn't look up until Ginny put a hand under his chin. 'Harry, you have every right to be scared.' Ginny laughed aloud at the look Harry gave her, tears finally spilling from her eyes. 'You have been so brave for so long, I think it's time you let it all go and showed some emotion. It's okay to worry and to be absolutely terrified, especially considering what you've been through and everything that lies ahead.' The redhead threw her arms around Harry's neck, holding his head still so that she could look at him properly.

'Gin, I...I don't know what to do.' Harry whispered, his voice quiet and fearful. 'I feel so alone and I don't know if I can keep going anymore.'

'Harry, you need to calm down, okay? Harry, listen to what I am saying. I will always be by your side, no matter what. I'm always gonna be here to help you out when you need me and you know that Ron and Hermione will always love you. I know that you three have had a hard time getting things straight but I know for sure that they will never let you down again. You mean far too much to them.' Harry looked up at Ginny with red, swollen eyes, his lips pouted slightly. 'You mean far too much to me too.' she added quietly.

'I-I do?'

'Of course you do. You have been one of the most important people in my life since I can remember. Even when I didn't know you I idolized you. I always wanted to be your friend, to get to know you and when I got that chance, you don't know how happy I was. Ron had finally done something right by making friends with you.' she joked. Harry also laughed but it caught in his throat. 'Harry, I've…I've always…loved you, you know that right?'

Harry didn't speak at first, just stared at the ground. He hesitantly looked up as Ginny smiled down at him awkwardly. The two made eye contact and smiled gently, blushing. Harry wasn't sure what to say and Ginny was certain that she had said too much. She stared to panic, thinking that she had freaked the man out. He continued to stare at her and she was about to apologize when Harry whispered.

'Really?'

Ginny sighed happily and laughed. 'Yes, I love you. I always have. Even when I was young I knew that what I felt for you was more than just friendship. I've always waned to be with you, Harry and even if you don't feel the same or whatever, I just want you to know that I'm here for you. No matter what happens, I'm right here for you.'

Harry smiled through his tears, choking back his sobs. 'Gin, I- I don't…I don't understand, I thought that you would never forgive me. I thought that you had moved on and didn't want anything to do with me.'

'What are you talking about? Harry, forgive you for what? You did nothing wrong and you know that! Look, forget about what happened, think about the future. There is no need to think about what happened in the past. I know that you were hurt and confused and I feel so bad about it but we all really need to move on but I don't want to move on without you. I love you Harry, you make me so happy. Just being with you makes me feel so much better about everything. No one else has ever made me feel the way you do.'

'So me having been in prison doesn't bother you?'

'Why would it? Harry, like I already said you did nothing wrong so stop trying to blame yourself or put me off because you don't think that you're good enough.' Ginny sat closer to the man and placed her head on his shoulder. 'I really love you. Please, tell me you love me back?'

'I…I do. I mean, I love you.' Harry stumbled over his words feeling rather embarrassed by the confession. Ginny smiled widely and took Harry's hand, stroking the soft skin. 'I want you, Gin. I never really thought about it until recently but I've always felt a connection between us. That doesn't sound too corny does it?'

The redhead laughed, hugging Harry around his shoulders. She waited for him to respond and soon enough his strong arms enveloped her in a gentle hug. They cuddled in silence, listening to each others racing heart beats. After a few minutes had passed Ginny pulled away and glanced shyly up at Harry, her brown eyes glossy with happiness. She moved in closer until their noses touched and giggled like a school girl. Harry grinned back, his hands still around her slender body.

'Oh for Merlin's sake, just kiss her already!'

The two looked over the room to where Draco was leaning against the doorframe. 'Get on with it, man! Hurry before she realizes what a big mistake she's making.'

Harry scowled but Ginny simply chuckled and didn't miss the small smile that flickered across Draco's lips. 'Piss off, Malfoy.' Harry muttered, not looking at the blonde. Draco turned and left the room, still mjnjnnnnnnn 'So, what now?' Harry asked sheepishly.

'Hmm, well I guess we could, you know, kiss.'

'Um, yeah.' Harry scratched the back of his head and coughed loudly to fill the silence. 'I suppose I should, you know,' Harry reached out a hand and placed it on Ginny's cheek. 'and then just, you know,' he muttered, leaning closer, his hands beginning to shake.

Ginny raised her arms and awkwardly set them on Harry's shoulders. 'Okay, so I'll um...'

The two blushed as they made eye contact but Harry relaxed slightly when Ginny gave him a reassuring smile. He stroked Ginny's cheek gently whilst wrapping his other arm around her slim waist. He pulled her closer, so close he could feel her breath on his skin. With his heart pounding wildly in his chest, Harry bent his head to join their lips in a sweet, tentative kiss. Neither moved, too afraid that they would ruin the moment. After a few seconds Harry made to pulled away but Ginny held on fast, slowly returning the kiss. Harry's breath hitched in his throat and he exhaled deeply through his nose. Ginny buried her fingers into Harry's messy hair, enjoying the soft touch. She tried not to laugh with glee when Harry nipped her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She complied and parted her lips.

Deepening the kiss Harry pulled the redhead closer to his body, feeling her warmth fill him as they both held on tightly. The two soon ran out of breath and Ginny's cheeks were flushed a sweet red, while Harry's hair stuck up in all directions, his mouth open as he panted slightly. Grinning at the young man before her Ginny brushed back an unruly lock of black hair behind Harry's left ear. She then ran her thumb over the soft skin of Harry's earlobe. Leaning in she planted another kiss on Harry's lips then tucked the man's head into her neck. The two stayed still, breathing slowly and evenly in each others arms. When Ginny felt Harry relax in her hold she turned her face and whispered affectionately into his ear.

'Silly Harry.'

* * *

It wasn't that great, i think i could have done better but never mind. Please all let me know what you thought about this chapter, especially the little kiss.

**Allen Pitt- **Thanks for the review. It was really bad that they never went to see him but they did try to sort some things out in this chapter and there will be some more of the three of them working things out in later chapters. Please review and let me know what you think! :)

**Punk-Rebel-Chick- **No, i think it makes him yummy! TeHe! Your review made me so happy! It was really lovely and much appreciated. Harry and Draco would be really cool if they were friends and they might become closer but as Harry has just remembered that Draco also too part in torturing him, they might have trouble getting on for a while. Please review! :)

**Bob Hammilton- **I am exactly the same. :p That also might be why i like his scars...hmmm

**Caelhir- **No worries, if you have anymore questions pease ask, i love to answer them! Yay! Harry an Ginny! :) I hope you liked them . I think that i made them a bit weird and Harry was all lame and girly. Gin was being the dude in that scene. I look forward to writing more about them later.

**WeAreLoveStory- **Aww, thank you! I sound like a drug! YAY! I'm really glad that you like it. I hope that this chapter was okay, i'm not too sure about it. Please review to let me know what you think. :)


	21. Returning

Hi! Sorry it's been a while! I was away for a bit so i couldn't write.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Returning_

It was late in the evening when Harry and Ginny moved into the kitchen where they continued chatting long into the night. They sat at the table, each cradling their sixth mug of tea. Ginny smiled up at Harry, enjoying the moment of comfortable silence that had settled between them.

'It's really nice to just finally talk again.' Ginny sighed happily. 'I remember all those times at home in the holidays when we would sit together in the living room and chat for hours.'

'Yeah, although, it's a bit different now.'

'How d'you mean?'

Harry swirled the remaining tea in his mug before he tipped his head right back to get the last drop. 'Well, Ron and Hermione aren't here which is really the main difference but I think it also feels different because we're no longer going to school. We've grown up since that time and I remember that when we were young, despite all the troubles that we faced, we always had something to laugh and joke about. Now, now everything is so serious and it feels like if we even relax for a second the whole world will come falling in. No matter where I am or who I'm with I can never feel comfortable enough to relax properly.'

'Harry, this war, I know that it is causing a hell of a lot of trouble for all of us but you can't let it take over your life. You may be the 'chosen one' who is supposed to save us all, but you're still a person, just a normal human being. It's perfectly alright to forget about all your troubles for a day or two and just let yourself let go. Also, considering all you went though I should think that you deserve a break more than anyone.'

Harry chewed at his bottom lip as he rolled his empty mug between his hands. 'Hmm, I guess…d'you want another cup of tea?'

'Hn? Oh, don't worry, I'll get it.' Ginny stood from her seat and took hers and Harry's mug to the counter by the kettle. With a quick flick of her wand she boiled that water in the pot and filled up the two mugs. As she put the kettle back down on the hob she noticed a dirty gold object sitting next to a pile of sauce pans and dishes by the sink. Out of curiosity she picked it up and turned it over in her palm. 'Harry, what's this?'

Harry looked up from his gazing at the table and narrowed his eyes slightly. 'Oh, that's nothing…um.' He stood and approached Ginny as she continued to toy with the object.

'Hey, I remember this.' Ginny suddenly exclaimed holding the locket up by the chain. Harry stared at her confused. How did she know about it? 'It was just after my third year. We found it somewhere in this house when we were cleaning. D'you remember when we all passed it around trying to open it? Hmm, Kreacher must have taken it away so Sirius wouldn't throw it out.'

'Kreacher?' Harry repeated, quite perplexed.

Before either could say anymore, there was a loud _crack_ as someone appeared in the kitchen. Had it been any other day, Harry would have extracted his wand immediately, gripping it firmly in his hand ready to oppose the intruder at any moment; however, his brain, which had only just started to operate properly after his many cups of tea, remained sluggish and as such, his

reactions were almost non-existent.

Ginny let out a small screech as the tiny elf appeared out of nowhere in front of the two of them. His pale skin hung limply off of his petite frame as did the disgusting rags he wore. White hair grew out from his bat-like ears in copious amounts and his customary scornful look had not changed since their last meeting.

'Master called Kreacher?' croaked the elf as he bowed spectacularly low in front of Harry before he shot a thoroughly disapproving look at Ginny. 'Kreacher has not seen Master in my mistress' old house for many years. Kreacher had hoped that Master had died.'

'M-master? What is he on about?' Harry questioned as he looked up to Ginny who remained standing with the locket in her grip.

The redhead grimaced at the elf's filthy rags before her eye's met Harry's.

'Sirius left you everything in his Will, didn't he?' At Harry's slow nod, she continued. 'Well, he must have named you as Kreacher's new master so…'

'Right' came Harry's slow reply as he turned toward the elf who was now studying Ginny with expression that could only be described as pure horror.

'The blood traitor Weasley has stolen Master Regulus' locket.' Kreacher cried out in his bullfrog voice as his bony arm slowly rose to point at Ginny. 'You stole it from Master Regulus! Give it back!' The elf was now yelling viscously at Ginny and Harry found himself glad that he had had the initiative to put up silencing charms earlier so that Malfoy would be non the wiser of their conversation.

'Kreacher, STOP' Harry screamed as the elf began to run at Ginny, his eyes locked on the necklace she was holding. The elf immediately obeyed as Harry's heart started to beat rather fast. Why had the elf had such a reaction to the locket? Harry could only think of one reason; after retrieving the horcrux, Regulus must have left it in the house. Remembering now what Ginny had referred to earlier when they had all tried to open the locket, he recalled that Sirius had thrown it in the rubbish pile. Throughout that cleaning process, Kreacher had tried to sneak some of the items back to his den and the locket must have been one of them. If the one that Ginny held was really the fake Horcrux, and the elf had such a fierce reaction to it, then Kreacher must have the real one.

'Kreacher, you will not harm anyone in this house, nor will you refer to them in such derogatory terms as 'blood traitor' and the like. Understand?'

The elf, frozen on the spot, turned slowly to Harry before he nodded in understanding.

Harry moved towards Ginny and gently took the locket from her grip. Turning it over in his hands a couple of times, Harry held the necklace by the chain and allowed it to dangle before the elf.

'You recognize this, Kreacher? You recognize this locket?'

'It is Master Regulus' locket. Master Regulus told Kreacher to take the locket and to destroy it.' Tears began to fall silently down the elf's face and he fell undignified onto the floor where he began to rock back and forth as if he were on a ship that travelled on the rough sea.

After raising an eyebrow at the sudden change in the elf's behavior Harry continued, 'How did Regulus get the locket, Kreacher?'

'Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord when he was young.' spoke the rocking elf, his arms gripping his knees as he cuddled himself in what appeared to be a protective position. 'About a year after Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord, Master Regulus told Kreacher that the Dark Lord required an elf, he wanted an elf to do job. Master Regulus, Master…'

Kreacher faulted a couple of times as more tears cascaded down his face. The rocking increased and the elf's breath hitched as he spoke.

'Master Regulus told Kreacher it would be an honour to work for the Dark Lord and Master Regulus…he told Kreacher to followed whatever…whatever the Dark Lord ordered Kreacher to do.'

'And what did Voldemort make you do, Kreacher?' Harry's voice was soft and calm as he called out to the elf.

'The Dark Lord make Kreacher drink a potion form inside a cave. He…he made Kreacher drink the potion that made Kreacher see all of these terrible things…he made Kreacher drink all of the potion… and then the Dark Lord sailed away in his boat and he left Kreacher…he left Kreacher on the island and Kreacher needed water…'

Harry looked up at Ginny completely confused. A potion inside a cave? Voldemort on a boat? What was he on about? Ginny appeared to be just as confused as Harry; however, neither of the two said anything. They turned their attention back to the elf who was rocking as hard as ever. His voice was coming out in great sobs.

'…Kreacher tried to get a drink in the black lake but…but dead hands came at Kreacher and they pulled Kreacher into the black water and under the surface…but Master Regulus called. Master Regulus called Kreacher back to the house and told Kreacher to stay hidden from everyone so Kreacher stayed in his cupboard. Kreacher was a good elf…Kreacher did as Master Regulus asked and he stayed inside the house.'

Kreacher let out a great sob as his bloodshot eyes stared straight ahead.

'One night…one night after Kreacher escaped from the dead hands…Master Regulus came and he made Kreacher tell Master Regulus all that the Dark Lord had ordered Kreacher to do…but Master Regulus…Master Regulus was not himself…he was ill and Kreacher knew. Kreacher knew Master Regulus was disturbed in the mind and Master Regulus made Kreacher take him to the cave where the Dark Lord had gone with Kreacher…'

Another great gulp and a sob were emitted from the tiny elf as he remained on the floor rocking himself.

'…and Kreacher showed Master Regulus the cave and the potion in the basin on the island and…and Master Regulus, he told Kreacher to…he ordered Kreacher to change the locket in the basin for the one Master Regulus was holding and he ordered Kreacher to leave after he did that…he ordered Kreacher to take the locket home and to…he wanted Kreacher to destroy the locket. Master Regulus…he drank the potion…and Kreacher was a good elf and…and swapped the lockets and then he left Master Regulus and…and he was dragged under the water by the…by the dead hands…'

Kreacher was now wailing into his thin legs in his curled up position. Harry was at a complete loss at what to do as the inconsolable elf swayed to and fro, back and forth. Finally, after a while of howling, Kreacher had calmed down enough to continue relaying the story.

'Kreacher never could destroy Master Regulus' locket…Kreacher tried and tried but Kreacher could not destroy it, so…so Kreacher had to punish himself often for he could not complete Master Regulus' orders…and then Kreacher saw bad Master Sirius try to throw it out but Kreacher saved it and took it to his new house when Kreacher's new Master did not come.'

'Where did you go, Kreacher?'

'Kreacher went to Mistress Bellatrix and Mistress Narcissa but the blood traitor stole the locket! The blood traitor-' The small elf once again ran at Ginny, his thin arms flailing through the air.

'Kreacher' Harry yelled above the elf's accusations, 'do not call her a blood traitor' But the elf was already punishing himself, violently hitting his head against the cupboard.

'Kreacher, stop. Stop punishing yourself.' The elf complied and sat silently on the floor, curled up in his protective ball. 'Good, right. So, the last time you were with Bellatrix and Narcissa, you had the locket with you?' The elf jerked his head in confirmation. 'Okay, Kreacher, I want you to return there and to bring all of your belongings back here. You are not to go back there afterwards. I am your Master now, okay? Do you understand?' Once again, Kreacher nodded and without standing, he left the room with a _crack._

The room was silent for a moment as the two occupants stared at the place that the elf had been sat.

'Well, that was unexpected.' said Ginny quietly as she stood up from the crouched position she had taken up when the elf had begun to cry. Her knees gave an audible crack as she moved to sit on the hard back, wooden chair.

'Yeah. That was, well, weird.' Harry added as he joined Ginny at the kitchen table.

'Why do you want the locket? Is it really special to you or something?'

'Er..Dumbledore came to me with that one' he nodded towards the locket that now rested on the kitchen table, 'and asked if I had seen one similar. He seemed to think it would be here and asked me to give it to him if I found it.' Harry felt bad for not telling her the truth about the Horcruxes but it was not like it was a complete lie. Dumbledore had come to him with the fake Horcrux and in a roundabout way, had made it clear to Harry that he needed to find the real one. He decided that Ginny did not really need to know about the Horcruxes anyway. They would probably just scare her and he wasn't sure that he was up to explaining them to her. Taking a glance at his watch, Harry was surprised to discover that it was nearing one in the morning. Had they really been talking that long?

Silence filled the room again as Harry and Ginny sat around the kitchen table waiting for Kreacher's return. Brushing a hand through his hair, Harry sighed and looked up at Ginny. Her hair fell over her shoulders as she rested her face in her hands. He smiled softly and butterflies entered his stomach, as they always did when he looked at her.

'Look Gin, you should go. You're falling asleep at the table.' He grinned at her when she looked up at him with a guilty smile.

'Are you sure? I don't mind waiting up for Kreacher with you.'

'Yes, I'm sure. You're dead on your feet. Go home and get some rest. The moment he comes back I'm going to head up to bed.'

'Well, if you're sure?' At his nod, the two of them stood up. Ginny made her way over to Harry and enveloped him in a hug. He returned it all too enthusiastically and burned bright red when she gave him a small but sweet kiss on the lips. He looked into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes and wished now that she wasn't going.

'I really enjoyed talking to you, you know? Even though it was a bit…weird.' He smiled in agreement, 'I always feel so much lighter after talking to you.'

She let go of his grip and slowly made her way to the fireplace where she grabbed a handful of floo power and threw it into the fire, calling out 'The Burrow' as she did so. The green flames engulfed her and she disappeared.

When Kreacher reappeared twenty minutes later with a handful of bedding and a meager pile of possessions, Harry told him to put his things away before returning with the locket. Kreacher returned a moment later, clutching the golden locket in his old, wrinkly hands.

Harry bent down so that he was now at eye level with the elf. 'Kreacher, if I gave you this locket, which was also Regulus', would you give me that one so that I can help you fulfill Regulus' order to destroy it?'

Kreacher slowly released the Horcrux into Harry's opened hand, placing it carefully on the palm before he took the other locket and gently placed it over his head, fresh tears falling down his cheeks. Harry followed suit and placed the Horcrux over his head, deciding that the locket was probably safest if he wore it until he visited the Headmaster in the morning. The moment the heavy gold touched his chest, he felt a mysterious ticking from inside, almost like a heartbeat emanating from the golden object.

* * *

Dragging his feet through the thick snow Harry gazed around at the grounds of Hogwarts. Despite his frozen toes which he was sure were now frostbitten, the raven smiled as a sense of home filled him. Because of his bad childhood living with the Dursleys' Harry had always thought of Hogwarts as his real home. It was where he had made his first proper friends who loved him for who he was and didn't mock him for being different. He fitted in, to some extent, with everyone else and he felt like he finally belonged. As Harry approached the school, climbing the slight slope up to the grand castle, he couldn't help but pity himself for missing his last two years of his school life, a time that he would never be able to get back. Even if he had tutors to catch him up on the work he missed he would never get to go back to the school with his friends, go to lessons, eat in the Great Hall or wander around the huge building in the middle on the night with his best friend. Everyone and everything around Harry had grown and moved on, leaving him behind.

Reaching the tall front door of the school Harry slipped inside and cast a quick charm on his shoes to clean off the snow. Taking at look at his watch he realised that he was later than he had hoped. He had planned to leave home at seven so he could make his way up to Dumbledore's office before the students came down to breakfast. Unfortunately for Harry he had had trouble getting out of bed that morning. When he had finally managed to drag himself out of the warm confines of his duvet, it was already seven thirty. Harry had then gone on to blame his nonexistent alarm clock for not going off on time. By the time he had dressed and made his way to Hogsmead it was ten to eight and then he still had to walk all the way up to the castle which he found took longer than he remembered.

From where Harry stood at the door he could just about see into the Great Hall where most of the students were sat at their tables, munching tiredly on their breakfast. Harry half expected to see his friends waiting for him, Ron leaving a space next to him for when Harry came down from Gryffindor tower. With a weak smile Harry set off on his way to the headmaster's office. On his way up the long, never ending staircases Harry passed a few girls and boys making their way to the Great Hall. Most of them ignored him as they chatted to their friends but a few of them obviously recognized him as they hurriedly cut their conversations to stared widely at him as he passed. Once they thought he was out of earshot they continued in hushed whispers, their voices full of excitement at the prospect of meeting Harry Potter. Harry didn't really mind the whispers or the stares from the children. He knew that they would get excited and want to gossip about it. It was only natural. When you went to a boarding school gossiping was really the main source of entertainment among the students and often among the staff members.

It was only when young Ravenclaw girl, probably in second year, walked passed with her friends and said proudly 'My father, who works in the Ministry, thinks that Potter should be sent back to Azkaban. He believes that he really did kill those people. I agree, Potter's not to be trusted.', that Harry rolled his eyes, a frown falling over his face.

Stopping at the top of yet another flight of stairs Harry stopped and glanced at his watch again. It was already five passed and he was sure that he was lost. As Harry begun mumbling to himself at his sudden loss of memory he heard his name being called from behind him. Turning he saw Dennis Creevey waving erratically at his from across the hallway.

'Harry! Harry, it's me! It's Dennis Creevey! Remember me? Harry, hey!' The boy was soon jumping up and down as he made his way over to Harry and the staircase. Harry lifted his hand slightly and gave a small wave, not sure why the boy was being so enthusiastic. They barely knew each other. When the sixteen year old reached Harry had grinned widely, baring a set of large white teeth. 'Hi! How've you been? I'm fine, by the way. I haven't seen you in ages, Collin would say hi but he's not here but I guess you already know that. Sixth year is great you know? I'm really enjoying it. How was your sixth year? I bet it was better than mine is but mine is still really great! The lessons are fun aren't they?'

'I wouldn't know.' Harry grumbled. Dennis, who was about to burst into another tornado of words quickly snapped his mouth shut, his cheeks flushed pink. 'Hey, um…look, could you direct me to the headmaster's office, I'm a bit…lost.'

As if the passed thirty seconds hadn't happened Dennis jump started into his usual, happy self and pointed behind him, down the corridor that he had just come from. 'I just went to see Professor Dumbledore 'cause I accidently smashed a window this morning with my shoe. It really was an accident, I swear. Natalie, my best friend, McDonald was throwing my best shoes around the common room, McDonald is her surname by the way, and everyone was laughing! And then when I-'

'That's great, Dennis,' Harry said tiredly, 'but I'm running late so I better be going.' Dennis' face lit up when Harry said his name and he waved once more before rushing off after his friends.

Harry followed the boy's directions and soon found himself in front of the giant gargoyle. However, just as Harry gave a rather large sigh of relief he remembered that he needed the password to get through. Wracking his brain Harry tried to remember what Dumbledore's last password had been when he was at school but all that came to him was a long list of sweets.

After trying what felt like hundreds of wizard sweets and cakes Harry was becoming quite desperate. Although he doubted that it would work he started trying some muggle sweets such as 'Mars bars' and 'Snickers', but as he suspected these were also incorrect. Giving up Harry backed away and slouched against the stone wall, waiting for someone to pass and give him the password.

It was only a few minutes later when someone did pass by but it wasn't exactly someone that Harry was keen on bumping into. Professor Snape swiftly glided down the short staircase, obviously having just left Dumbledore's office. When he noticed Harry he scowled, sneering at him with small, black eyes. The two stared at each other, each holding a cold glare. Although it didn't show, Harry felt a shiver of fear scurry along his spine. At seeing his old Potions master Harry's mind had been cast back to the awful memories at Malfoy manor when Snape himself had been one of the many to torture Harry mercilessly. He tried to shake the thought from his mind but the man's harsh eyes sent Harry's body into a state of panic.

Suddenly Snape continued on his way, brushing passed the teen, his head in the air. Harry turned back to the gargoyle just as it began to close. He was about to hurry to the entrance before it fully shut when Snape grabbed his arm roughly. Harry gasped breathlessly and stared up into the greasy haired man's eyes once again.

'Toffee drizzle.' the man murmured before dropping Harry's arm and disappearing down the long corridor.

* * *

Hey guys! Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it!

**Allen Pitt- **Don't worry, the story isn't over quite yet. He's finally talked with Ginny and they've sorted things out but he still has to sort things out with the rest of the Weasleys as well as his old friends from Hogwarts. I hope you liked this chapter and I can't wait to hear more from you.

**Caelhir- **Yeah, sorry that happened to me before. In chapter one (not the prologue) it said _three years later_ and it cut it in half. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to work and that happened again in this last chapter. Sorry. I also know that there where some spelling mistakes cause my beta (my sister) didn't have a chance to look through it and I didn't bother to. Sorry. Yay for Ginny and silly Harry.

**Punk-Rebel-Chick- **Yeah, sorry for the spelling mistakes, I do have a beta but she didn't read through the last chapter and I didn't either. I hope that this one will be better. I really liked your comments on Ginny and Harry, thanks.

**Bob Hammilton- **Awww, that was cute too! Thank you! Please review this chapter and let me know what you think!

**Crazyme03- **Aww, thank you. I'm very glad that you like it. Please let me know your opinions of this chapter!

**Junky- **I don't really understand what you mean by saying that Harry isn't serious. I think that Harry thinks that he deserves to do what he likes now that he's been freed. They did after all accuse him of murders that he didn't commit. I think that maybe he's scared and reluctant to do what needs to be done because of all that happened. Yeah, he tried to fight Voldemort again with the skills of only a fifteen year old but he's done that sort of thing before and he did try to teach himself some sixth and seventh year syllabus. Also about him being immature, I wouldn't expect him to have grown up that much as even though he has aged, he had no influence from the outside world whilst in Azkaban to help him learn and grow mentally and emotionally. He had been isolated from everyone so he still feels like a fifteen year old boy inside. I hope that this helped a little bit but I didn't really understand what you were trying to say. Please review and let me know if there are any other questions that you have. I will be happy to try and answer them. Thank you.

**pyrou- **YAY AND UPDATE! I hope you liked this chapter. Please review to let me know what you thought about it.

**Zoie- **Aww, thanks! I hope this chapter was to your liking!

Please review!


	22. Surprise Visitors

Walking Free

_Surprise Visitors_

Tapping her foot impatiently Hermione crossed her arms over her chest in a frustrated manner. She and Ron had been standing outside Grimmauld Place for almost five minutes, waiting for Harry or Draco to come to the door. While Hermione's patience had held out for the first few minutes Ron had become disinterested rather quickly and had taken to wandering off around the corner of the block of houses. After much shouting and a few snide comments she had managed to drag the man back to the house and get him to stand still for almost a full sixty seconds. By this point her patience was wearing thin and she was sure that Ron was deliberately trying to get on her nerves by humming the tune of Hogwarts school song totally off key and the hand gestures didn't help.

The redhead suddenly stopped humming when his stomach rumbled loudly. 'Damn, they better hurry up and open this door already, I'm starving!'

'Shut up, Ronald. You're always starving.' Hermione mumbled.

Ron harrumphed, scowling. 'Maybe they're not in.' he suggested, wrapping his arms around his body, trying to keep warm.

'Maybe, but I doubt that Malfoy would leave the house, even if Harry went out. He's too scared. Where would he go anyway? He doesn't have a clue where he is really.'

'He doesn't have a clue full stop.'

Hermione smiled and nudged her boyfriend's side affectionately. 'Why don't you send a patronus? That way Harry will know it's us.'

'I guess.' Ron pulled out his wand and pointed it towards the door. 'Expecto Patonum. Harry, it's Ron and Hermione. Let us in! It's cold, I'm hungry, and I want my breakfast!'

'You already had breakfast!' Hermione huffed indignantly.

'Yeah, well I want seconds!' As Ron lowered his wand a small terrier raced out of the end, barking happily. It scurried around the wizard's feet before hurtling through the closed door into the house. 'Aww, I love that dog.'

'It's not a real dog, you know.'

'I know that! I just meant that I think he's kinda cute…'

As the two continued to argue a wand suddenly appeared through the letter box and pointed straight at the pair.

'Harry?' Hermione asked, perplexed.

'No, that's not Harry's wand, it can't be. It's far too small.' Hermione gave him a surprised look.

'What? I should know; I spent the best part of five years living with the guy. No, Harry's is at least ten inches.' Hermione looked away, blushing madly. 'What? What did I say?'

With that the wand shot back and out of sight. Seconds later the door creaked open and a pale face appeared through the crack.

'He's not fucking here!' Malfoy hissed. 'He went off earlier without telling me! I can't find the stupid twat.'

Sighing tiredly Hermione pushed the door further open and slipped inside, dragging Ron behind her who was still trying to figure out what it was he had said to embarrass his girlfriend.

* * *

As Harry stood in front of the now opening entrance he carefully removed the long chain from his neck. The moment the cool metal was pulled from his person, Harry felt a sudden release, as if just moments before, there had been a heavy weight resting on his broad shoulders. His mind had also cleared and the disturbing thoughts that had plagued his dreams last night and his thoughts that morning vanished.

Moving forward, Harry recalled the nightmares that had kept sleep from him last night. Strangely enough, there had been no dreams of his time imprisoned by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Instead, he had dreamed of his godfather's death as well as that of Cedric Diggory. They had come to him, pale and ghost like and spoke of their disappointment in him; of how he had not done enough to save them and that ultimately, their demises had been his fault. Harry had cried out to them, several times, pleading for them to understand, for them to listen as he attempted to explain that he couldn't have done anything for them but they did not back down and the insults came thick and fast from their mouths. When they had finally disappeared, leaving Harry completely alone in a dense fog, an awful feeling of despair, guilt and loneliness crashed down on him in unstoppable waves.

The next nightmare that night was one that had left Harry gasping for breath, resolutely trying to stop the tears that wished to fall from his tired eyes. He had dreamed of his friends and family and how they had been out of reach and unable to come to him. His parents had strolled purposely towards him, hand in hand, smiles on their young, wrinkleless faces; however, when they neared Harry, they frowned. Harry, who was much younger in the dream, maybe just going into his teens, called out to them, desperate to embrace them and to feel their love. With his small legs, the dark haired boy ran to his parents; however, as he drove forward, the couple, who were now standing at the end of a corridor, appeared to be moving further away instead of closer. The boy called out to them, deep sobs emerging from his chest as he did so. He reached his delicate fingers toward them, desperate for their touch as he cried out. The tears pooling from his emerald eyes obstructed his view and, as he blinked to clear his sight, Lily and James Potter had vanished into the harsh winds that whipped around Harry. Amongst the deafening winds, Harry could hear his mother's voice in a statement that made his blood run cold, _'You are no son of mine, Harry Potter.'_

Harry shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts as he blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. Taking a deep breath he looked around and realised that he now stood before the Headmaster's office door. Squaring his shoulders and taking another long breath, Harry knocked thrice on the wooden door with the knuckles on his left hand.

A moment later, a quiet 'Come in' was uttered and Harry, still clenching the chain in his right hand, pushed opened the heavy door.

The office had not changed in the past three years. The old desk sat in the middle of the room with the ornate chair behind it. Paperwork and such was stacked neatly on one side of the table in front of the Headmaster, who was currently sat with his head bent over something, and a bowl of yellow sweats, that Harry assumed to be Sherbet Lemons, sat to the right of the tower of paper. Behind Professor Dumbledore was a collection of portraits of the previous Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts School, some of whom were sleeping peacefully within their elaborate frames.

Upon hearing the door creaking open, Albus Dumbledore moved his eyes up to meet those of his guest. He was quite surprised when his bright blue orbs met the deep emerald of Harry's weary eyes. Taking his eyes away from the boy's, he looked over Harry's unshaven face and smiled before placing his elderly elbows on top of the desk before him and entwining his fingers together.

'Harry! How unexpected. Come, please.' He said jovially and inclined his head toward the empty chair on the other side of his desk. 'Do take a seat, my boy.'

The teen approached the offered chair slowly and it was then that Dumbledore got a proper look at the person before him. The stubble that grew on the man's face and the dark bags under his eyes gave Harry a haggard look; however, it was the eyes that concerned Albus the most. Behind the rectangular glasses were green orbs filled with pain, hurt and loneliness. The Headmaster's heart clenched at the sight.

'Are you quite alright, Harry?' Albus leaned forward, moving his arms away so that he could get as close to Harry as possible. 'You do not look well, my boy.'

Harry's eyes searched the Headmaster for a moment before he replied with the usual, 'I'm fine.'

'Harry, please. It is obvious to me that something is amiss.' When Harry did not give anymore away, Albus added, 'Let me help.'

'I…I,' Looking down to his lap, Harry finally gave in, 'it's the nightmares. I…I find it hard to sleep and when I do, I…' Taking a gulping breath he continued, 'I dream about what they_ did_ to me and it's something new every night and I just can't escape from it and…and I feel so helpless and alone.' Harry stopped and looked away from Dumbledore's distressed face. He closed his eyes for a moment and looked out of the large window in the office that had a clear view over the entire grounds of the castle. 'The connection is growing stronger. I can feel him,' he turned back to the Headmaster with fear in his eyes, 'I can feel him _in_ me all the time. It's as if there's apart of him inside of me. My scar throbs constantly these days.' He added as an after thought. The two men sat in silence for a while, studying each other. After a while, Dumbledore spoke up with a quiet voice.

'I'm afraid, there is not much I can do for you, my boy.'

'Yeah, I know.' Harry mumble after a short while, averting his gaze back to the window.

Another pause of quiet filled the room. From the grounds, Harry could hear the rush of wind and an occasional bird chirping.

A small cough and Dumbledore's calm voice ended the silence. 'What brings you here today, Harry?'

Harry turned his head slowly back to the man in front of him before he looked down at his clenched hands. Opening the right one slightly, Harry released most of the chain and the locket so that the piece of heavy jewelry hung from a few fingers by the chain. Carefully, the teen raised his right arm to reveal it to the Headmaster before him.

'This, I believe, is the Horcrux you were looking for.' Harry said softly.

As the locket swung in his hand like a pendulum, the two emeralds glittering in the winter sun streaming in though the window, Dumbledore let a small smile grace his thin lips. 'How…?' He whispered with an almost childlike fascination. The man's twinkling eyes did not leave the swinging object until Harry placed it on the desk in front of him and began to recount Kreacher's tale.

* * *

There was silence in the room as neither men spoke. Dumbledore's chin rested gently on his hand as he thought for a moment.

'Kreacher had it all this time. Interesting how one never thought to ask him.' The aged man sighed, removed his hand from his chin and sat up perfectly straight in the tall, elaborate chair. 'You know what this means now, Harry? We destroy this Horcrux and are left only with Lord Voldemort's snake and the object we believe to have some connection to Ravenclaw.' Ever since Albus had visited Harry at Grimmauld Place, thoughts of the Horcruxes had been quite prominent with Harry.

'How does that work? How can a living thing have a part of someone else's soul inside of it?'

At this Albus frowned and lowered his head for a moment. When he looked up again, his blue eyes were tinged with sadness. He took a deep breath before speaking in a strong, firm voice. 'I will be honest with you, Harry. I will not pretend to understand how it works in its entirety. All I can understand from it is that there must be a connection between Lord Voldemort and the piece of soul within Nagini.'

'A connection?'

'Yes. I believe you bared witness to it in your fifth year.' When Harry raised his eyebrow in question, the Headmaster continued, 'The incident with Arthur Weasley in the Department of Mysteries, my boy. That was indeed Voldemort using his connection to possess Nagini.'

Harry sat still for a moment; thousands of questions whirling around his tired brain. 'And, can Nagini feel him. I mean, can she feel Voldemort through the connection?'

Dumbledore stared at Harry, studying him closely before answering. 'That, I cannot tell you Harry.'

The two men looked at each other for a minute, a strange silence settling over them. The Headmaster was the first to break eye contact. Using his elderly and wrinkled hands, he pushed himself off of his chair and slowly made his way across the room, towards the large, glass cabinet. As he did so, Harry closed his eyes, removed his glasses and rubbed them with the palm of his hands, attempting to remove the tiredness from them. When he replaced his glasses a few minutes later, Albus Dumbledore was once again sat before him, across the table. The only difference now was that, placed carefully before Harry on the wooden table, sat the sword of Gryffindor, glowing beautifully from the sun's rays. The diamond encrusted handle glinted enthusiastically when it caught the sun light, almost blinding.

'The sword.' Harry whispered as he was momentarily distracted by the object.

'You must know, Harry, that destroying the Horcrux will not be an easy job.'

When Harry looked up into the old wizard's eyes in question, Albus picked up the sword and slid his fingers along the long, silver blade.

'The Horcrux within the locket will put up a fight. It will not wish to be destroyed and I quite think it will recognize the threat of the sword if they come into close contact. If you will.' The Headmaster motioned for Harry to pick up the locket. 'Now, if you bring it closer to the sword, you will see.'

Harry did as he was asked, raising the gold pendant towards the silver blade; however, as he did so, he began to feel a resistance. Soon enough, the locket started to violently move away from sword and Harry could have sworn he heard it crying out in a desperate attempt to get away from its potential destroyer.

'This Horcrux is a powerful thing, Harry. Do not forget that. You must be strong, you must fight it.'

'Me?' Harry placed the locket back onto the table and met Dumbledore's gaze.

Here, the Headmaster chuckled lightly. 'Well, who else, my boy? You found the locket; I believe this entitles you to be the one to destroy it.' With that, Albus stood up and handed Harry the sword of Gryffindor.

Harry followed suit and stood as well. He gently took the proffered object, and similarly to the Headmaster, stroked his hand gently across the blade.

Albus picked up the gold jewelry and moved from behind the desk to the middle of the room. He placed it upon the top, stone step before making his way down the steps with Harry.

'Are you ready?' Harry nodded. His heart beating wildly in his chest and he grabbed the sword with both hands. 'I think you know how to open it, my boy.' Albus said softly and without even thinking, Harry opened his mouth and spoke to the object.

To Albus and all the portraits in the room, Harry's next words were only a hiss.

'_Open'_

There was a loud click as the old pendant snapped open with force. Harry could never have predicted what would happen next. The opened locket contained two glass windows; however, instead of a picture behind the glass, there was a living, blinking eye. Harry recoiled slightly, the image of Tom Riddle's eye staring out of the locket and right into him somewhat startled him.

Beside him, he heard his old mentor encouraging him to stab it with the long blade. But before he could, a voice filled the room, a hissing coiling around Harry's head.

'_Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. I have been in your mind, I have searched your thoughts, I know your hopes and your fears.'_

Harry gazed into the mesmerizing eyes, unable to move. Dumbledore drew closer to him, urging him to ignore the part of Riddle within the locket. Begging him to be strong and to destroy it but Harry was not able to hear the words. The locket had him fixed in a trance.

'_Your fears are right, Harry. They died for you, Harry, all of them, and you let it happen. You did nothing to save them. Loved by no one, you will always be alone. You will always have nothing. And it is all your fault.'_

Harry's throat was dry, his head foggy and his heart still beat in his chest like a crazed, caged animal, desperate for release. From the two windows, two bodies blossomed, distorted and almost gruesome in their perfection. Harry almost dropped the sword in shock as he stumbled backwards a couple of steps.

The Riddle-Ron and Hermione, who now stood over him, gazed down at him with distaste.

The Riddle-Ron's voice was smooth as he said, _'We preferred it when you were in Azkaban, Harry.'_

'_You are nothing to us.'_ Echoed the Riddle-Hermione. _'You are no friend of ours. Stay away, go back.'_

Harry cried out before the two figures changed, this time forming a Riddle-Albus Dumbledore and a Riddle-Sirius.

'_I am disappointed in you, Harry. You could never listen, could you? Look what you have done; look at the damage you have caused. You should have nothing. You are worthless. No one cares for you.'_

Harry felt someone grabbing his arm, tugging him away. 'Ignore it. Ignore it, Harry. They are _not_ real.'

'_You killed me, Harry. You let me die. How could you? You are not my godson.'_

'No, Sirius, no. Please.' Harry begged as the figures changed again. Towering above him stood his parents; James and Lily Potter.

'_You are no son of mine.'_ The Riddle-Lily snarled as she and husband turned away from their son. Then, as quickly as they had come, they disappeared, morphing into just one person. Riddle-Ginny stood beautifully before Harry; her flaming red hair, dancing lightly around her shoulders. Her face perfectly freckled as she looked down at Harry.

'_You are nothing, Harry Potter. No one could love you. Get away from my family. Leave us alone. You are nothing and no one could love you.'_

'NO' cried Harry as he dived forward. As the sword pierced through the windows of the locket, there was a long, pained scream and a clatter of metal on stone. Harry dropped the sword, stumbled backwards and fell heavily onto his knees in shock. His breath came out in deep pants as if he had just run a marathon. Before he could stop himself, before he could collect himself in front of the Headmaster, the deep breaths turned into pained sobs that he could not repress. He didn't notice exactly when Dumbledore kneeled down with him and took him into his arms. Harry didn't care that he had completely broken down in front of the man. He clung onto the man's arm, his breathing staggered and filled with shattering sobs. His chest tightened with each breath, burning under his skin. In all his life Harry couldn't remember a time he had felt more self-hatred and guilt.

* * *

Draco drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he stared up at the clock above the fireplace. His cup of tea sat cold in front of him, having been brewed almost half an hour ago. Hermione and Ron sat together on the sofa opposite him, waiting for Harry to arrive back home. After Draco had let them into the house, the blonde had soon fallen silent as he slumped back into a chair, his mind elsewhere. Hermione had made them all some tea while Ron tried to get anymore information out of Malfoy as to where Harry had gone. The blonde claimed to know nothing and said he hadn't seen Harry since the night before.

When the clock struck twelve in the afternoon Draco's shoulders sagged as Ron and Hermione checked their own watches, trying to figure out how long Harry had been out for.

'Malfoy,' Ron asked. 'why do you even care that Harry's not here?'

'What's it to you?' Draco hissed, flicking his silky hair away from his face.

'Well you're making a big song and dance about him not being here so there must be a reason, otherwise you wouldn't be so wound up.'

'I am not wound up you half-whit!' Draco clenched his fists and scowled over at the redhead.

'Anyway, what are you doing here? I'm sure Potter doesn't exactly want to see you after yesterday. I could hear you all arguing for hours.'

'That's none of your business,' Hermione scolded. 'but if you must know, we're here to see if he's okay. We didn't expect him to have gone out though, otherwise we wouldn't have come.'

'Well he's not here so you can leave.'

'Oh, for goodness sake, Draco. We're-' Hermione started.

'Don't you dare address me by my first name, you filthy mudblood!' Draco growled, his cheeks burning red.

'Oi, don't you call her that-'

'Stop it! Both of you.' Hermione held up her hands, forcefully shoving Ron back into the sofa with her left and wagging a finger at Draco with her right. 'Ron, it's okay,' she said gently. 'but _you_,' she turned on the blonde. 'need to get down from your high horse. We are _adults_ now so if you could just start to act like one, maybe we can get along.'

Draco looked away and astonishingly didn't argue back. He grumbled to himself and sat back down on the edge of his seat.

'So, now what?' Ron asked quietly.

'Now, we talk and try to figure out where Harry has gone. I'm sure he's absolutely fine and that there is nothing to worry about, but Draco seems upset-'

'I'm not upset.' Draco mumbled into his fist.

'Fine, but you still want to know where he disappeared to. We all do. Are you sure he didn't say he was going out?'

'Yes, I've already told you that.'

'Okay, okay, then let's think about where he might have gone. The first possibility is that he went shopping, but he's been gone a long time and there is plenty of food in the kitchen, so I doubt it's that.'

'He could have gone for a walk.' Ron suggested. Hermione nodded briefly but frowned.

'He could have but once again it's been too long. However, he was quite upset when we left him yesterday, he may just need some space, you know, time to think.'

Ron agreed, slurping on his tea greedily. 'Well, if that's all sorted, I think it's time to leave.' he said cheerily, getting to his feet.

Hermione grudgingly nodded and waved her wand, sending their tea cups into the kitchen to be cleaned. 'Well Draco, it was…nice to see you again…'

Draco remained silent, carefully watching the couple from the corner of his eye, waiting eagerly for their departure. The little meeting had been awkward to say the least and he was glad it was finally over.

Ron and Hermione stopped by the living room door, remembering to collect their coats from the back of the sofa. Ron held Hermione's out for her, helping her put it on before turning back to Draco to say goodbye- not that he wanted to, he felt obliged and feared the wrath of his girlfriend if he didn't. Just as he opened his mouth to speak the sound of the front door opening drifted up the stairs, startling them all. Moments later, after the door had been shut again, a loud thump geared them all into action. Hermione was the first down the stairs, followed by Ron and Draco, battling between themselves as to who could get down faster.

'Harry?' Hermione asked as she reached the young man, crumpled on the floor, his whole body shuddering, drenched in blood. 'Harry!'

* * *

So happy I finally put this up. I've had this chapter half done for months but I never got round to doing it. Hopefully I should have some more up soon.

Please review.

**Indigo coloured rain- **I think Snape just feels really bad for what he did to Harry. He sees him and remembers what he did. Also, about the dialogue, how do you think I could improve because it is something I find hard? :) PLease review. Thanks.

**Ladon's Avatar-** Harry just doesn't want to be alone and I guess he realises that it wasn't really their fault. They saw what the believed to be Harry harming a family member and at the time must have been in shock. About them not visiting, to me, I imagined it to be that they were too scared, maybe of what Harry would be like because the things he did were totally out of character so they might think he had changed and wouldn't be who they had known. Please review. :)

**Caelhir- **Thanks! Maybe the brothers will appear in an epilogue, possibly sooner. :)

**Bob Hammilton- **Toffee drizzle?- No idea, I made it up. :) PLease review.

**crazyme03- **Cool, I sometimes worry that they're too short. :)

**dem bones-** I love Draco too! :) Snape will be more involved soon. He and Dumbledore might have things to talk about.

**Jim Red Hawk- **Haha, I still love him though.

**nobody-**Thanks. :)

**Evil Unicorn Overlord- **Your review made me really happy. Thank you so much. Reviews like your really make me want to write. Please review again. :)


	23. Healing

Hi! More chapters! I really hope you like it. I worked solidly for the past two days on this one. I hope it's okay.

Please enjoy.

* * *

Walking Free

_Healing_

'Harry, can you hear me?' Hermione cried, placing a gentle hand on the man's shoulder. 'Ron, he's been splinched, it's his leg…' She almost screeched, distressed at the state of her unresponsive friend. The pool of blood around Harry's twisting form grew sickeningly quickly, leaving Harry and now Hermione in a bloody mess. Unzipping his jacket Hermione cursed as she realised that his chest was also damaged. 'Shhh, Harry. It's ok, Harry. It's ok.' She whispered to him, placing her cool hand on his forehead in an attempt to soothe him as he moaned in agony. 'Ron, do something! He's losing so much blood. I haven't got any potions with me!' She called out desperately as a wave of panic hit her.

The redhead dropped down to the floor by her side, ready to help in any way he could; however, Draco remained standing, his face suddenly pale at the sight of the man below him.

'Damn it, you better live you bloody twat.' Draco growled, slowly lowering himself to the ground.

'Why do you care so much? What interest do you have in Harry?' Ron asked, not understanding Draco's motive for Harry being healed.

'I need him to protect me, that's why.' Draco shouted in response. 'Isn't that obvious? I don't really give a shit what happens to him once this whole war is over; I just need to him to keep his stupid self out of trouble to keep me safe. D'you really think I give a crap about him? You've got to be j-'

'Why you little-!' Ron grabbed the blonde and shoved him against the wall. 'You are a horrible, disgusting, shitty little prick. How dare you use Harry like that! He's got enough to worry about without you demanding his help, of which you certainly _don't_ deserve.'

'Stop it, both of you! Please, he needs help!' Hermione cried out, her hands shaking as she tried to stop the blood from pumping out of the wound. 'Ron, I need some essence of dittany but I haven't got any with me.'

'H-Harry might have some in the house. I'll go look.' Ron squeezed Hermione's shoulder with a quivering hand before sprinting down to the kitchen.

'I'll help.' Draco was about to stand but Hermione pulled him back down. 'No, I need you to help me stop the bleeding. Here, hold you hand over this cut. Okay, how good are you at healing charms?'

'Why are you asking me? I thought you were supposed to be the brains of Britain!' Draco hissed.

'Of course I know them!' Hermione scolded, 'But I'm going to need your help. D'you know 'Vulnera Sanentur'? It heals shallow _and _deeps wounds but-'

'I know what it is!'

'Okay, we'll have to do it at least three times. That way it shouldn't leave a scar.'

'But the dittany will make sure of that.' Draco huffed, recoiling in disgust as blood drenched his hands.

'Yeah but I have no idea if we have any. Ron? Did you find any?'

The red head pounded up the stairs, his cheeks flushed with worry. 'Sorry, Mione, I can't find any.'

'Err…oh, okay, go home and bring my bag.' Hermione replied after thought. 'It should be on my bedside table.

Ron nodded and grabbed his coat. 'You sure you'll be okay?'

'Yes, we'll be fine, now go!'

'This is so gross.' Draco moaned under his breath.

Harry's chest heaved as his eyes rolled back in agony. Hermione stroked his cheek soothingly as she reached for her wand. 'Come on, Harry, it's going to be okay. Draco, you ready?'

Either the blonde let the use of his first name slide, or he was too anxious to notice, Hermione didn't know but she could tell he was unsure as he steadied his wand. 'Let's do this already.'

They instinctively, on the count of three, began the spell with the correct wand movements, allowing the tip of the wand to pass over the entire wounded area.

'Vulnera Sanentur.' they chanted three times. The first time caused the blood to ease back into the wounds clotting the blood flow. The second time made the cuts heal themselves, the skin knitting itself back together. The time and final time was to remove the body of the most visible scar that the wound would leave if lest unhealed. However, it would still leave a visible trace of the splinch. Hermione wished Ron would hurry back, preying that he hadn't splinched himself in his worry.

As if he could hear her thoughts, Ron thundered through the doorway just as they finished the last chant. Hermione grabbed the bag and emptied the contents onto the floor. After a moment of frantic searching she found what she was looking for, a small vial filled with lightly blue tinted liquid. Ripping the cork out of the top the brunet set about applying the essence over the fading scars.

Looking down at his hands and almost the entirety of Hermione's body, Draco used a basic cleaning spell to remove the drying blood. He couldn't say he had enjoyed the experience but it certainly gave him a sense of pride, knowing that he had helped to save someone's life. Not that he would even admit to finding such frivolous activities satisfying.

'Well done, honey.' Ron whispered, helping his girlfriend to her feet. 'You okay?'

'Yeah,' she replied, a little shaken. 'now we just need to get him to bed.'

* * *

Dabbing a wet cloth over Harry's sweating brow, Ron pulled the duvet over the man's chest, tucking it in slightly under his arms.

'D'you think he'll be okay?' Ron asked hesitantly. 'I'm a little worried he's pushing himself too far. I mean, you can tell he's exhausted.'

'That must be why he splinched himself. He was tired and couldn't concentrate on where it was he wanted to apparate to. That must have been why he was splinched so badly.'

'Better make sure he stays in bed for a couple of days.' Ron suggested with a sigh, running his hand through his disheveled hair.

'Well, I agree with you on that one but he really need proper medical care. We need to have a healer check him over.' Hermione handed Ron the cloth as she went to the door. 'I'm gonna fire-call Poppy Pomfrey; maybe she'll have time to come see him this evening.'

Hermione went into the nearest room with a fireplace; a simple sitting room with little furniture, most of which was moth eaten and fallen apart. Kneeling on the floor by the fireplace she raised her wand and pointed it at the wood resting on the grate.

'Incendio.' The logs quickly flickered and spat as they set alight, casting a warm glow over Hermione's face. To her left she found a pot of Floo Powder which she sprinkled over the flames before rolling Hogwarts' address and Madam Pomfrey's name off her tongue. As soon as the flames sparked into an electric green, she knelt forward, lowering her face into the fire. Hermione waited a while for Poppy to reach the fireplace in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts, trying to ignore the disconcerting sensation of her head floating somewhere between Grimmauld place and Hogwarts while the rest of her body was planted firmly on the floor. It wasn't long before Poppy appeared before her, her face flustered and tinged pink.

'Miss Granger? I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?' the elderly woman asked warmly.

'It's good to see you again Madam Pomfrey. I'm sorry for asking this as I'm sure you're very busy but I was hoping you could come over to Grimmauld place sometime today to check on Harry. He splinched himself quite badly earlier and I've done my best,' she hastened, 'but it would really set me at ease if you would have a look at him, just to make sure he's okay.'

Madam Pomfrey nodded once, taking everything in. 'I'm not sure I'll be able to see him tonight dear. Almost half the first years' have come down with a horrible case of the flu and I have one too many broken bones to attend to. However, by tomorrow morning I should have some time to visit. Now, did you use essence of dittany on the wounds?' she asked, a slender eyebrow raised.

Hermione nodded quickly. 'I didn't have any at first so I had to use a healing charm but I managed to get some from home and it seemed to work. He's resting now and his wounds have all healed but I think he may have a fever.'

'Alright, dear. I'll pop over first thing in the morning, around nine.'

'Thank you.' Hermione smiled once as she pulled away from the fire.

* * *

Ron stumbled down the stairs with heavy legs, his head spinning with the need to sleep. On entering the kitchen he noticed Malfoy sat at the table, hunched over a glass of red wine. His head was resting in a fisted hand, silvery, blonde hair spiking between his fingers.

'Mind if I join you?' Ron asked in a tired, husky voice, ungracefully dragging a chair out from under the table.

Malfoy shrugged his shoulders as he slid the wine bottle across the wooden surface. Grabbing a glass from a cabinet above the sink, Ron uncorked the wine. After filling his own glass, the redhead topped up Malfoy's which he had already drained twice.

'So…' Malfoy started, inhaling deeply.

'So…'

'What, you're not going to yell at me? Rant about how much of a prick I am or how I don't deserve Harry's help, because you seemed pretty intent in killing me earlier.'

'Yeah well.' Ron mumbled, cradling his glass. 'You're still an arse and you've used Harry, not caring about what he needs or how ill he's gotten. You should have looked out for him.'

'He's a big boy, I'm sure he can look after himself.' Draco huffed.

'I could say the same to you.' Ron retorted over the rim of his drink.

'Touché.'

Ron watched the blonde as he swilled his wine and took a large gulp. 'One question. Why here? I mean, why Harry?'

'He can protect me.' he said again.

'Well, he's not exactly the best choice for protection is he?'

Malfoy looked up at him briefly with slanted eyes, unsure he wanted to hear what it was the redhead was about to say. 'And why is that?' he slurred.

'Alright, I'm guessing you're hiding from You Know Who,' Ron began.

'No shit…'

'And he's after Harry. So in my opinion, staying with Harry for protection against the man who's trying to kill him doesn't sound like a very good idea to me.'

'I never knew you were articulate enough to be able to string so many words together to form a sentence. I grew up thinking you were simple.' Malfoy said sarcastically, half expecting the other man not to understand his tone.

'Look, all I'm saying is, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here; with Harry. He's got too much to deal with at the moment without having to worry about keeping you safe.'

'That may be the case,' the blonde murmured, filling his glass for the fourth time that night. 'but he owes me.'

'Oh, and just how does he owe you? Especially after all the mistreatment he received from you in school. Whatever it was you did for him to be indebted to you, I don't think it's worth risking his health.'

'He would have been a lot worse off if I hadn't helped him.' Malfoy drawled. 'What I did for him was pretty much life saving so I think him protecting me is the least he can do.'

'What are you on about?'

'He hasn't told then. Well, I can't say I'm surprised, he always did like to appear the star of show.'

Ron frowned, partly from confusion but mainly from annoyance. 'I thought you were past all that stupid jealousy?'

'Hmm, trust me, Weasley; I am certainly not jealous of Potter.' With a small laugh the blonde stood from his seat, the legs of the chair scraping the stone floor, and carried the almost empty bottle out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

'Hey, Malfoy, what did you do?'

'Why don't you ask Potty.' he called, his voice floating down the stairs.

* * *

Tonks groaned as she rubbed soothing circles over her protruding belly. Despite only being five months along in her pregnancy she had already adopted an uncomfortable backache which reduced her ability to sleep through the night without Remus massaging her spine into the early hours of the morning. She sighed deeply as her tired eyelids drooped and her chest heaved. As she began to drift into a light sleep Tonks was jolted awake by a warm hand snaking around her waist and over her bump. Letting out a breathy smile she tried to roll onto her back, her husband helping her settle onto her back.

'Hello.' she whispered.

'Hi.' Remus replied, leaning down to claim her lips in a kiss. 'How are you feeling? Tired?'

'Mmm…'

'D'you want breakfast? I can make scrambled eggs and bacon.'

Tonks gazed up at her husband's chiseled, unshaven chin. Reaching up she cupped his face, the bristles catching slightly on her palm. 'With sausages?'

Chuckling the werewolf kissed her forehead with a smile. 'With sausages.'

After another few minutes of kisses and soft touches Remus finally clambered out of bed to have a shower. Once he was cleaned and dressed the brunette made his way to his son's room next door to their own. Teddy was lying on his front, fast asleep, his arms and legs tucked neatly under his little chest. Remus had no idea how the child could possibly find this position comfortable but it seemed to work. Approaching the crib, Remus lowered himself so he could gently wake his son. He ran his fingers through the soft hair, grinning widely as it flashed green as he stirred.

'Teddy, wakey-wakey. Come on little feller, daddy's gonna get you some breakfast.' The child moaned quietly before pushing himself up into a sitting position. He greeted his father with a dopey smile as he yawned, revealing small, pearly white teeth. Remus bundled the two year old into his arms and bounced him on his hip.

Once in the kitchen Remus placed Teddy in his high-chair and set about preparing the breakfast. He didn't notice that Tonks had joined him until she held a letter in front of his face. Remus pulled back to get a better look but Tonks had already whisked it away.

'What-'

'A friend of mine wants us to go to dinner with her tomorrow night.' She sighed.

'And that's a problem because…?'

'_Because_, we don't have anyone to babysit Teddy.' Tonks sat at the table with the bowl of porridge Remus had made and began feeding it to the toddler. 'Mum can't do it 'cause she's meeting up with some friends from school. Damn, I wish Harry were still here.' she mumbled whilst rubbing her stomach again, her top seeming tighter than it was the day before.

Grinding his teeth, Remus placed two plates on the table along with cutlery and orange juice. 'I guess we can't go then.'

'But Remus!' Tonks replied, practically emptying the bottle of ketchup onto her plate. 'I haven't seen Daisy in months! I really wanna see her again.'

'Well, unless you can find a babysitter by tomorrow, there's not much I can do.'

The small family sat in silence as they ate; the only noise came from Teddy who cried gently when Tonks, while not paying attention, accidentally shoved the spoon into his cheek. 'I still can't believe we haven't found him yet.' she grumbled while cleaning the child's face.

'I told you before, Nora, I looked everywhere. I can't find him. I even checked that flat he was living in when he escaped Azkaban. Trust me, if there's any chance he'd be there, I've checked.'

'Have you been to Grimmauld Place? He could always be there.'

Remus shook his head as he swallowed another mouthful. 'He wouldn't stay there, too many memories of…Sirius.'

'Remus!' Tonks shouted, standing from her seat.

'What?' he asked with wide, golden eyes.

'You- you idiot!' grabbing the nearest thing to her she threw Teddy's plastic bowl at the man's head before rushing out into the hall.

'I just washed this shirt!' Remus cried out as cold porridge drizzled down his sleeve.

'Well hurry up and get a clean one on.' Tonks picked up Teddy and placed him on the floor as she went to get his shoes. 'Come with mummy.'

'Where are we going?' Remus asked although he was sure he already knew. 'Nora, I really don't think he'll be there-'

'But he might!'

Rolling his eyes, Remus followed his wife and son into the hallway and pulled on his coat. 'Really Nymphadora. This is silly-'

'Let's go Teddy, let's go see Uncle Harry!' Tonks clapped her hands, causing Teddy to jump up and down with glee. His hair flashed orange with excitement.

'Don't over excitement him! We don't even know if he's there.' Remus scolded, frowning.

Once they were all ready, Tonks dragged Remus out the front door, only remembering Teddy after she'd locked the front door. As soon as he was sat on her hip, she linked arms with Remus and apparated the three of them onto the road in front of number twelve Grimmauld Place.

'Really, he can't be here; it would have been too hard on him.' Remus insisted again, straightening his shirt and hair as apparating with his wife always seemed much more chaotic than with anyone else.

'Then why is there a light on in that window?' Tonks laughed at her husband's expression of disbelief. She hurried up the steps and tapped on the door. She waited a moment, taking Remus' hand when he stood beside her, until the door opened and Hermione greeted them.

'Tonks, Remus?' she asked in surprise. 'Um, we weren't expecting you but please, come in.' She stepped aside to let them pass, shutting the door behind them.

'We were looking for Harry.' Remus spoke up, still amazed that he had been wrong. 'Is he here?'

Hermione explained how Harry had splinched himself and that Madam Pomfrey was supposed to be coming to see him that morning. When Remus asked where Malfoy was, Hermione had to admit that she hadn't seen him since last night and was pretty sure that he was recovering from a bad hangover.

'Do you want to go see him?' The couple followed her up the stairs to his room where she stopped outside the door. 'He'll probably still be asleep but he needs to be awake for Poppy in a bit so you can try waking him, see how he feels.'

Hermione offered to take Teddy which Tonks appreciated as the boy had become restless and had begun to wail and whimper.

Remus walked to the side of Harry's bed and squeezed his shoulder, glad to see the young man again. Tonks ran a hand over Harry's arm, gently calling his name as he stirred in his sleep.

'Hermione?' he asked, dazed.

'Wotcher Harry, it's Tonks and Remus. Time to wake up, sunnyboy.'

Harry rubbed his eyes with his fist while sitting up against the headboard. 'Hey. What are you guy's doing here?'

'We've been looking for you for a while now.' Remus admitted, 'But um…we didn't think to come here…I thought it would have brought back to many memories of…you know…'

'Sirius?' Harry asked quietly, biting his bottom lip when Remus nodded sadly.

'Otherwise we would have looked for you here.' Tonks added, rubbing her belly.

'You should sit down.' Harry said, seeing she was uncomfortable. Remus agreed and pulled up the arm chair from the other side of the room, insisting that she sit and rest.

'We were really worried about you.' she said quietly. 'And, I'm kinda sorry about what I said. Before you left. It was unkind and stupid. I was just upset and hormonal.' she said while patting her bump with a toothy grin.

Harry smiled softly, taking her hand. 'I'm sorry too. I didn't realise how rude I was being. I didn't treat the situation with the sensitivity it warranted.'

Remus flushed with guilt, feeling like a silly school boy who had done something bad in a lesson and had to apologize to the teacher. 'I have to agree slightly that I was a little taken aback when you suddenly…came out with the suggestion but I can see now that I did not behave like an adult. I was very immature and to bring up Sirius like that was awful of me, horrific. I have regretted what I said ever since in happened.' He put a hand on Harry face and tried to smile reassuringly. 'His death was not your fault, not one bit. You know that right?'

'Yes.' Harry whispered, rolling his lip between his teeth.

'But there's something else on my mind.' Remus said, becoming more serious. 'What on earth were you thinking of, apparating like that? You could have died. You don't know how to apparate properly yet. You shouldn't have done it.'

Harry couldn't help but laugh. He should have seen it coming. Remus was constantly on his case about something and he was grateful for it really, he just wished the man wouldn't worry so much.

'Harry, please take me seriously. I'm only looking out for you and I don't want you to-'

'Oh Remus.' Tonks sighed, rolling her eyes at her ever worrisome husband. 'Let him rest before you talk his ear off. You nag too much, you realise that?'

'What? You can hardly speak. You talk non stop, usually about something ridiculous or made up.'

When his wife's eyes lowered with hormonal tears he all but slapped his face into his hand. Despite his fear about the health of the baby, he couldn't wait for it to arrive so Tonks' terrible mood swings would end.

A knock at the door alerted them to someone outside the room. Hermione popped her head round the door, smiling apologetically. 'Madam Pomfrey is here.'

* * *

Another chapter! Yay!

Only one review last time... :(

**Caelhir- **Thank you! I'm so happy! Your review completely makes up for the fact that I only had one. I'm pleased that my writing is getting better and that it's easy to read. Happy, happy, happy! Please review again! :) I hope the begining scene is dramatic enough. I'm not very good at the dramatic parts.

If anyone else wants to review and they have any advice about a chapter, please review that chapter and let me know if there is anything I could improve on. Thank you! I look forward to any reviews. Let me know what you think.


	24. Christmas

Hi. This one is quite long. Hope you like it. The title doesn't quite fit as the Christmas is at the very end. Oh well.

Please enjoy.

* * *

Walking Free

_Christmas_

'No need to worry, Mr. Potter; everything looks to be in order.' Madam Pomfrey said as she packed away her thermometer and wand. 'Just a slight fever which should settle down within a day or two. Make sure to get plenty of rest, dear, you don't want to be sick on Christmas day.'

Harry smiled back, though not as widely, glad that the examination was over. The elderly woman had prodded and poked at his chest and leg for the best part of half an hour and he had felt rather uncomfortable, especially when she asked him to remove his pajama bottoms to get a better look at where the wounds had been. It hadn't helped that Hermione insisted on standing by the door the whole time, watching the examination with caring yet still curious eyes. As soon as there was something new she could learn, no matter what it was, she would be there, absorbing as much as possible. Harry had to admire her for her studiousness and patience. She really was an amazing witch.

'Thank you.' he mumbled, wishing she would leave him to sleep. Hermione led her down to the hall, thanking her on her way out. Only trouble was, as soon as she had gone, Tonks and Remus flooded back in. Thankfully the older man noticed Harry's ire at their presence and managed to drag his chatty wife and hyperactive child out of the house, promising to visit again in the next few days.

* * *

Gently shutting the door to Harry's room behind her, Hermione went in search of her boyfriend whom she found in the bedroom they had stayed in the night before, lying on the bed. Climbing onto the plump mattress she crawled over to the redhead. He smiled down at her, uncurling his arms from behind his head to scoop her up into a hug. She buried her head into his arm, loving her warm smell of his jumper.

'You okay?' he asked, stroking her hair.

She nodded, too tired to talk. She hadn't slept well the night before, too worried about Harry and had spent half the time drifting in and out of his room, making sure he wasn't bleeding again. Ron had tried to stop her, reassure her that he would be fine but he had slept through most of the night, lying on his stomach, snoring into his pillow.

'Did you speak to Harry?' he asked.

'About what?' she mutter into his arm. 'Christmas?'

'Yeah, Mum said she really wants him there and I know Ginny does. She's desperate to see him.'

'No, I forgot to mention it but I think they've been getting along well recently. You never know, maybe sparks will fly.' Hermione giggled, running her hand up and down Ron's firm chest.

'Not sure if I should be happy or anxious about that.' he frowned with a smile. 'He's a mate and I know he'd never hurt her, but what if they broke up? It would be…awkward.'

Hermione hummed to herself in thought, drumming her fingers. 'Not necessarily and anyway, we don't even know if they'll get together so it's silly to worry about that now.'

'I suppose. Well, I better talk to him about it later.'

The two lay still together on the bed, softly caressing each other, enjoying the peace of the mid morning.

'There was something I wanted to ask you about Mione.' Ron spoke up, causing Hermione to sit up in interest at the unsure tone of his voice. 'I was talking with Malfoy last night and he said something odd about Harry. He said that Harry owed him because Malfoy saved his life. I couldn't really understand hat he was going on about- not sure if that's because he's a sly git or because he was pissed as a newt.'

'Did you ask him what he meant?' Hermione questioned, her head tilted to the side.

'Yeah, but he told me to ask Harry.'

'Well, why are you telling me about this then?' she scolded. 'Just talk to Harry.'

Ron shrugged, his nose scrunched.

'What?'

'Nothing…Harry's just…kind of grumpy whenever I try to ask him stuff these days. He doesn't want to tell me anything anymore.'

'Hey, don't fret,' Hermione hugged her boyfriend's head to her chest, 'you just need to regain his trust. He's still feeling betrayed and doesn't feel safe with us yet. Just give it time.'

Ron breathed deeply through his nose, and grudgingly agreed with her. 'Harry better tell me what that git did for him 'cause I've been thinking about it none stop since he mentioned it.'

* * *

Harry slept almost solidly for a whole day, constantly being seen to by Ron and Hermione, but not once stirring from his slumber. The bags that had begun to form under his eyes over the past few days slowly started to fade as the colour returned to his cheeks. His fever cooled with aid of the tender care from his friends, Malfoy even helped on occasion, and when he finally did wake the only thing he was interested in doing was making himself some breakfast and having a hot cup of tea. When Hermione tried to insist on doing it for him, he all but locked her out of the kitchen. He didn't need her help and although he appreciated her concern, he didn't want to be mollycoddled when he was perfectly healthy and could look after himself.

'Harry, are you sure you're feeling okay?' Ron asked, handing him a glass of water. 'You were splinched really badly so we just want to make sure you're alright.'

'Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better. I just wasn't concentrating; I'd…I'd had a bad day but I don't really want to talk about that.'

'Sure.' Ron nodded, tucking into his fried eggs. 'But there is something I wanted to talk to you about.'

'Hmm.' Harry sighed around his forkful or beans.

'Malfoy and I were talking the other night, when you splinched yourself, and he some…stuff.'

'What stuff?' Harry asked a little too quickly, chipping away at his cool façade.

Ron glanced at the younger man briefly before deciding to continue with care. 'I was telling Malfoy that he shouldn't be hanging around you, causing you trouble. I said that we' he indicated to Hermione with a bob of the head, 'thought that he was causing you stress and that he should leave.'

'That's for me to decide, not you. This is my house remember.' Harry cut in, in annoyance.

'We know, Harry. Let him speak.' Hermione said softly. Harry frowned, remaining quiet.

'Right, so um…where was I…yeah, we told him to leave but it was then that he said that you owed him something, that he had done something for you and in return, you were keeping him safe. Hermione and I were wondering…what did he do?'

'Why does it matter?'

'Malfoy said it was 'life saving' or something. It sounded pretty big.' Ron began to sound desperate. Getting anything out of Harry was like getting blood from a stone. He was extremely stubborn and proud and even when they were close friends getting Harry to talk to him was almost impossible. He would never accept help from anyone so it was a wonder to Ron why he would take it from Malfoy of all people.

Sighing Harry finished his breakfast and left the table, taking his plate to the sink. 'Not that it's any of your business, but yes, he did help me.'

'And?'

'And what? That's it.' Harry turned away as he cleaned the plates and cutlery in the sink with a few simple flicks of his wand.

'You could at least tell what he did for you.' Ron argued, frustrated at not getting anywhere with him.

'Why should I? It has nothing to do with you. What happens in my life has nothing to do with you.'

Harry felt rather than saw Ron's face turn bright red. The sense of irritation in the air quickly turned to that of a fierce anger as the redhead bellowed across the room.

'How _dare_ you stand there and say that to us! How dare you brush us off to the side, speak down to us as if we have no idea what you're going through because you're making it rather difficult for us not to know. You really have no idea how hard we've been working to look out for you recently, Harry. Hermione worked herself ragged over the last few nights, constantly checking over you, healing your wounds when you came home injured and you haven't even thanked us yet. You owe Hermione your life and all you can do is ignore us, shove us away when all we want to do is help and fix our relationship. When did you become such a selfish git? Okay, so you've had a bad life, we get that, we know but what did we do to deserve this treatment? I can see why you'd be mad at me, I should have known better as your best friend but Hermione? She has done nothing but care for you all this time and you repay her with a cold shoulder and act as if she's a stranger. Do you really not give a damn about us, 'cause it certainly feels that way?'

'That's not fair!' Harry shot back, still surprised by Ron's outburst. 'I do care, and I know you've done a lot for me recently, the past few days especially. And Hermione, thank you, I should have said it before, I know but you,' her looked back to Ron. 'how can you say that I don't care? Do you not think that I want to be friends again too? That I want it all to be like it was before? 'Cause I do. I want it, a lot, but I know that it's not just going to happen, it can't. We've all changed, it can't be like it was, it's too late. I'm sorry, there are just some things that you need to accept and that's one of them. We're not close like we once were-'

'But that doesn't mean that what goes on in your life doesn't affect us or isn't our business because you've made it our business-'

'More like _you_ have.' Harry laughed bitterly. 'You two really have forced yourselves onto me. I don't need all this help from you.'

'Oh really?' Hermione shot in, speaking up after remaining silent as she had watched the two men argue between themselves. 'And what would've happened if we hadn't been here the other day? I doubt Draco could have helped you all by himself.'

'That was a one off. I'd had a long day.' Harry huffed feeling a little embarrassed. 'I still don't know what you two were doing here anyway.'

'We came to check on you.'

'That's what I'm talking about!' Harry cried out in frustration. 'You two can't seem to stay away. I'm fine; really, I don't need you watching over me.'

'Okay, we understand that.' Hermione said calmly. 'But Ron's right. We're still apart of your life whether you like it or not. We have a right to know about what's happening in your life because it affects us too.' She caught Harry's eyes with hers, holding them with a pleading stare.

'Please Harry.'

Harry crumpled into a chair, his shoulders heavy. Ron and Hermione sat opposite him but Ron was still red in the face, frustrated. 'I guess I'm just scared.' Harry said quietly.

'Scared of what?' Hermione asked when he didn't explain.

'Of being let down, abandoned. I can't let myself trust you or anyone because I keep thinking that you're going to betray me. I know it's stupid. In some ways I want to punish you because I was punished for no reason but I know that's wrong. You couldn't have known the truth. For some reason I just keep pushing you away and I guess that it's because I don't want to be let down again. I feel that by telling you about how I feel or what I think, that I'm giving away too much, that you'll use it against me someday and I won't have anyone to turn to.'

'Harry, you know that we'd never do that to you. We love you.' Hermione whispered. Her eyes sparkled with tears as her friend finally opened up, pealed back the covers of his mind and let them in. She was heart warmed and heart broken at the same time.

'She's right, we'd never do anything like that, mate.' Ron added, his skin having returned to its normal colouring. 'We're friends, or at least I'd like to hope so.'

Harry nodded, although he knew they still had a long way to go before their lives and friendship could be anything like it was.

'So, you going tell us now?' Ron asked with a smile.

Harry chuckled. 'You're really are persistent aren't you?'

'Yeah, well it's just that I've been thinking about what Malfoy said for a while and it's bugging me. I hate it when he knows something I don't; he always rubs it in my face.' Ron grumbled, crossing his arms.

'Well, for starters, what he said was basically true but not quite. He said that he was doing it for what his father did to me…you know…' Harry trailed off, feeling a little uncomfortable as he remembered what happened to him before he went to Azkaban. Hermione patter his hand, letting him know she understood. 'while in reality,' he said in a breathy voice, 'he was doing it because he felt guilty for his own participation. So, in order alleviate his guilty conscience he…he helped me to escape prison.'

The silence that met his declaration pounded against him, making the neck of his shirt tighten and his hands sweat. Ron's mouth was dropped like that of a fish, his eyes round and bulging. Hermione's lips were held in a slightly more controlled 'o', her eyebrows raised.

'…He…really?' Ron spluttered, his voice jumping up an octave. 'Malfoy? You sure it wasn't someone else, like, I don't know…not him!'

Harry's lips twitched up into a grin at Ron's disbelief. It reminded him of his school days, when he and Ron would talk for hours, joking, laughing, irritating Hermione with their endless banter and foolish behavior. When he was younger he never thought about moments like that because he didn't have to; it was his life. He didn't think about those times because they were nothing out of the ordinary but now, he wanted those times back more than anything.

'I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. I know that he's not as bad as some think but he doesn't seem to be type to care about having a guilty conscience or not. Then again, I can't imagine him ever feeling culpable.' Hermione said, her chin resting in her palm.

'I just can't get my head around it. Malfoy?' Ron's eyes crossed with thought. 'How'd he do it? I mean, it's Azkaban! How'd he get you out?'

'I know it sounds totally unlike him but trust me, it was Malfoy. He came to 'visit' me with a letter from the Ministry about taking some money out of my vault and he left it behind along with a pebble. At first I thought he was crazy but then I realised that the pebble was a portkey and that he never intended to use the letter to take my money for the ministry, he left it so I could go into Gringotts as some ministry worker, collect the money and use it to get myself going.'

'But surely The Minister would have noticed that the money was never brought into the ministry. He must have questioned Malfoy about where the money was or if had managed to get you to even signed the letter. If Malfoy had said you didn't sign the letter, he would have asked for it back or at least would have wanted to make sure he still had it.' Hermione thought aloud, her expression one of perplexity.

'I thought the same.' Harry continued.

'Oh, yeah…me too.' Ron piped up.

Harry and Hermione gave him a knowing look, both aware that he had no idea what they were talking about.

'Malfoy told me later on that he had been sent to collect money from more than just me that day. Scrimgeour had a number of letter made and signed each of them without checking who they were concerned. He had only just become Minister and apparently wasn't quite up to scratch. He must have not thought it important to check who it was that they were hopefully collecting money from. He would have suspected something otherwise.'

The three sat quietly, each mulling over their thoughts. Ron and Hermione were still trying to get round the idea that the blonde would do something so honorable. Although, Ron was more intrigued as to how Malfoy was smart enough to pull it off.

'So technically, you don't owe Malfoy anything.' Ron stated with a smug look.

'Yeah, but it's not as if he chose to torture me; he was forced to. And he did help me in a big way so the least I can do is watch out for him.'

'I guess, but don't feel like you have to. He can look after himself.'

'Mate, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about.' Harry said with a laugh.

The two men chatted for a while, enjoying the moment of peace. Hermione nudged Ron after a while, remembering that they still had to ask him about Christmas day.

'Huh?' Ron turned to his girlfriend and understood when she nodded towards Harry. 'Oh, yeah, Harry, Mum was wondering if you would like to come over for Christmas day. She would love it if you came.'

Harry felt a tug in his stomach; partly worry at being back at the Burrow, seeing the family he once considered to be his - he wasn't sure he would be comfortable seeing them all again – but it was mainly a flip of excitement, of which he could only guess was about seeing Ginny. The thought of having some time with her again caused his fingertips to tingle.

'We asked Remus and Tonks to come as well. They'll be there so you don't have to worry about it just being you and the Weasleys.' Hermione said in a comforting tone.

'Wait why would that be a problem?' Ron asked, a little hurt.

Hermione nudged him tenderly. 'I just meant that it could still be awkward. Harry hasn't had time to repair things with everyone yet. I just thought with Remus and Tonks there, it might dilute the situation.'

After some thought, Harry decided that going to the Burrow really would be better than spending Christmas at Grimmauld place alone. 'I'd love to.'

Hermione clapped her hands once, a big smile gracing her lips. Ron leant over the table and slapped Harry on the back, glad things had turned out so well. Their joyful moment was broken when a certain blonde stumbled into the kitchen, his eyes still filled with sleep.

'Are you two still here? You really out stayed your welcome. And another thing, you should really be more considerate about keeping your voices down in someone else's house. The ginger woke me with his yodeling earlier which I did not appreciate at such an early hour.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at him, finding the situation somewhat comical and also surprised at his behavior. 'Malfoy,' Harry began, 'it's eleven o'clock in the morning.'

'Well it wasn't half an hour ago when he rudely woke me from my slumber.'

'Ron, about Christmas, there's just one problem.' Ron raised an eyebrow in question. 'What are we going to do about Malfoy.'

* * *

'I don't want to be here.' Draco growled as he stood in front of the Weasley residence. It was Christmas day and he couldn't think of anywhere he would less like to be. Potter had spent almost a week trying to convince him to join him at the Burrow for the day. Draco had refused time and time again but had finally given in when he realised that being all by himself in the large, cold house reminded him too much of being home and it made him think of his mother which caused his chest to constrict painfully. He desperately wanted to see her, make sure she was well, but he couldn't return home because Voldemort was there. He would be killed as soon as he entered the vicinity so he knew that seeing his mother was not an option this Christmas. He couldn't imagine that he would have any fun whatsoever in this hovel on a day where one was supposed to be merry and joyful, kind to all, etcetera, when he couldn't think of a time when he felt more alone and depressed. Draco had to admit that he was curious as to why Potter was so adamant that he come along; he was sure Potter would be glad to be rid of him if only for the day.

'No need to be so glum.' Harry sighed next to him. 'At least you don't have to pretend to be happy to see everyone; they all hate you anyway.'

Draco grumbled as Harry knocked on the door lightly. Almost as soon as his had touched the wood the door flung open causing Harry to fly into the room, straight into Molly's arms.

'Harry dear, you came! It's so good to see you. Come, come, you'll freeze out there.' She pulled Harry close, rubbing his back. Harry smile, only a little forced, somewhat taken aback by her enthusiasm.

Draco followed, looking around the entrance of the home, his nose turned up with displeasure. Molly had known he would be joining them and while she hadn't been too pleased, she was never one to turn a witch or wizard away from her home, especially at Christmas. She beckoned the two men inside, by which time most of the family had come to welcome Harry. Ron clapped him into a hug which Harry gladly returned, followed by Hermione. Then the twins bounded up, each taking an arm and dragging him off to the living room. The other brothers followed each wanting to greet Harry with a handshake.

'Good to see you again, Harry.' Arthur called to which Harry replied with a smile over his shoulder. 'Malfoy.' he greeted with a nod.

Draco nodded in return, not quite sure what to do with himself as the entrance was deserted once again in only seconds. Spotting the coat stand to his right he shrugged off his jacket and hung it up along with his scarf. Then with nothing left to do he followed the sound of voices into the living room where all the Weasleys brothers were sat around the room, Harry in an armchair with Hermione sat on the arm. Clearing his throat he caught their attention.

'Ginger, would you be ever so kind as to direct me to your bathroom?' When a number of Weasleys gave him questioning looks he realised his error. 'Oh, I beg your pardon; I forgot I was among the Weasley clan. Does ginger hair run in the family?' he joked but as expected didn't receive a positive response.

'It's under the stairs.' Ron huffed, not amused. He then rolled his eyes when Malfoy left muttering 'How barbaric'.

'He's such a prick.' Fred and George said in unison.

'Why's he even here?' Charlie asked uncorking a bottle of Firewhisky and filling some glasses.

'He's Harry's problem.' Ron mumbled into his drink.

All the other brothers turned to Harry in question. Harry sunk into his seat, feeling a prickle of heat over his back. 'He's staying with me currently. He needed a place to stay and he has nowhere else to go and I didn't like to leave him home alone.'

'You're too nice, mate.' George said his twin agreeing. 'Malfoy's a git and if it were me I would have kicked him out before he could even get through the front door.'

'Well, he was actually staying with me at Remus' but we left and moved into Grimmauld place. Speaking of Remus, where is he?' Harry asked, desperate to change the subject, removing himself from the centre of attention.

'He'll be along in a bit.' Bill answered. 'Mum said he firecalled earlier saying Tonks was having trouble getting Teddy out of a box or something. I think he's having more fun with the wrapping paper and parcels than the actual presents they got him.'

* * *

The morning went by surprisingly quickly and soon enough Molly had called them all into the dinning room for lunch. The long table was fully laden with large bowls of vegetables and potatoes, plates piled high with various meats and two large jugs of gravy. Harry let himself be juggled around the table as Molly sorted the seating arrangements to make sure that everyone could fit. Harry was half hoping to be sat next to Malfoy so he could at least try to keep him in order but he was sat with Ron and Hermione with a space to his left to which he guessed was for Ginny. The blonde on the other hand was sat in between the twins who spent the entirety of the meal poking him in the ribs, nicking food from his plate and mocking him.

Remus and Tonks had finally arrived just before they moved into the dinning room. Tonks' face had been flushed while Remus simply looked apologetic. He had put an arm around Harry's shoulders when he passed, wishing him a merry Christmas and making sure he was feeling okay. Meanwhile Tonks was busy trying to stop Teddy from crawling under the table but a hour later he was still there, occasionally having food passed down to him by his father.

Just before the meal began Harry began to wonder where Ginny had got to. She had made an appearance shortly after he had arrived but had soon hurried off again and hadn't emerged since. Harry was about to ask Ron where she was when Ginny came bounding down the stairs, her red hair tied back in a long plat. Once she saw that the only seat available was next to Harry she slowed to a walk and gently placed herself on the bench. Harry smiled down at her warmly which caused Ginny's cheeks to flush. He wasn't certain but he was pretty sure that she had been wearing something different earlier. When he had seen her that morning she had worn jeans but now she was wearing a dark blue dress with matching pumps. Her cheeks were adorned in blusher and she had put on little silver earrings.

'Hello, Harry.' she said quietly.

'Hi.' he whispered back, his voice jolting a little when she took his hand in hers.

When the meal was over Molly cleared away the table and brought out the presents for her family. As expected Molly had knitted every present herself which was something Harry had always found rather amusing as the looks on their faces as they opened them was rather entertaining. This year, instead of the usual jumper, Ron received a zip up cardigan with his initials on either shoulder. Hermione was surprised to find she too had a cardigan, one matching Ron's but with her own initials. Percy and Bill both received gloves while Charlie was given a woolen hat that was far too big and kept slipping over his eyes. Fred and George were the most pleased with their presents as they had matching scarves which were really too long so instead of using one each, they stretched one between the two of them, wrapping it around themselves getting Malfoy tangled up with them. Tonks and Remus were very thankful when Molly presented them with a little present for Teddy; a pair of little red mittens to which Teddy took to instantly.

Harry looked to Ginny as he opened his own present to see that she already had her earmuffs on her head. He grinned as he pulled a traditional, green jumper out of the paper. As he had thought, on the front was the letter 'H' in golden thread.

'I wasn't sure if you had a thick jumper for the winter Harry, so I made you one, just in case.' Molly said as she watched Harry, hoping he would like it.

'Thank you, it's lovely.'

* * *

Later that afternoon everyone was situated in the living room, sat around the fire, all enjoying a hot cup of tea and a mince pie. Even Malfoy, who had spent the majority of the day frowning in the corner, sulking, seemed to be having a good time, chatting with Mr. Weasley with quite an animated tone. Despite being from such different families that supposedly hated each other, they seemed to get on rather well.

While Harry had enjoyed the day he still couldn't relax and enjoy the comforts of being among friends. He knew that he could trust the people around him; they were, he supposed, his family but he couldn't shrug off the fear that one day, they would turn against him. The only other problem Harry had was that he couldn't seem to get some time alone with Ginny. He had hoped that after lunch they could slip outside to talk but Molly had asked her to help make dessert. Then, when they went to sit by the fire he had tried to catch her alone in the hallway but she had been dragged off by the twins who wanted her to try out some of their new inventions. He had been sitting across the room from her for almost two hours now and he still hadn't had a chance to speak to her. They had chatted to each other along with everyone else but they hadn't had a moment to themselves.

Harry's thoughts were disrupted by Tonks as she shoveled another mince pie into her mouth.

'Ese ies sar wery ood.' she mouthed around the pie, cream dribbling down her cheek. Remus handed her a napkin, sighing with a small grin. She had consumed five of the little pies in the past half an hour and looked as if she wasn't quite done yet.

'Nora,' Remus said gently, 'you'll make yourself sick if you eat another one of those.'

'But Remus, the baby is hungry.' she whined playfully, a hand on her belly. 'Be nice.'

'Okay, well make this your last one,' he said as he peered at his watch. 'because we better go soon.' When Tonks looked up at him with a look of childish annoyance he indicated to Teddy who had fallen asleep on his chest over an hour ago and had his thumb lodged in his mouth. In sleep his hair faded back into its natural, golden brown of which Tonks tucked a few strands of behind his ear.

'Let's go.' she said softly, gathering the tired toddler into her arms. 'We're off guys. Thanks for inviting us.'

'That's alright, dear.' Molly smiled as she stood to show them out. 'It was lovely to see you.'

'Thank you for coming, Remus.' Arthur shook the man's hand. 'Good to see you.'

'You too. The meal was wonderful, Molly.'

Harry slid from his seat to say goodbye, catching Remus just as he left the house. 'Remus, I just wanted to say thanks for coming to see me the other day. I should have let you known where I was staying before.'

'Don't worry about it now Harry. You better get back inside, it's cold out here.' Remus patted him on the back before catching up with his wife. 'Merry Christmas.'

'You too!'

He waited until they had disapperated before turning back to the house. As he turned he was surprised to see Ginny sanding just a few feet away from him. She tilted her head to the side, a big grin on her face.

'We're finally alone.'

'Yeah.' Harry bit his lip. 'I guess we are.'

They stood staring at each other for a while, neither speaking. Ginny had let her hair down earlier and the gently breeze was billowing her locks, twirling it around her face.

'You look beautiful.'

'You're looking pretty good yourself.'

Harry laughed; glad the slightly awkward tension was quickly fading. 'I've wanted to talk to you all day. I tried earlier but you kept being dragged off.'

'I know,' Ginny sighed as she joined Harry's side. 'I've been looking forward to seeing you for a while. I'm happy you're here.' She raised a hand and placed it against Harry's cheek, loving the warmth that radiated off his skin. Lowering her hand she wrapped it around Harry's waist, bringing her other arm around his broad shoulders. Hugging him tight she waited for him to respond. To her delight he pulled her closer almost instantly. 'I love you, Harry.'

'I…I love you too.' he whispered hesitantly into her ear.

Ginny then began to pull away, turning her face to his. Her eyes were large and round, the pupils wide as they strained to see in the dark. She smiled up at him, her eyes seeming to lift with happiness. Leaning closer she touched her lips to his, bringing her hand up to either side of his face.

Harry kissed back, feeling her move against him. He closed his eyes, tilting his head to one side as Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck. But almost as soon as it had begun Harry ended it, carefully pushing her away. As their lips parted her head snapped up, her eyes wide and confused.

'Not now, Gin; not yet.'

Her face crumpled slightly with hurt. 'Why? When?'

'I don't want you to get hurt. I can't let myself get distracted.' He took her hand in his and brought them up to his chest. 'When this is all over, I'll be back.'

'But how long?' she asked, her voice breaking as the wind picked up and whipped at her hair.

'Soon, I promise.'

* * *

I hope you all liked it. This one took me a while to write because it's a lot longer.

**Alexzander95- **Don't worry, there shouldn't be anymore sad Harry. He was just having a bad day. Things are better now so he's feeling better. He's become more comfortable with Ron and Hermione so hopefully he'll be alright. I'm glad you like Draco, he's stupid but I love him really. Thank you.

**Michael4HPGW- **Thanks. A lot of people wanted more Ginny so I thought it was about time we saw some more of her but it was only a little. She is very important to Harry but not as important in the story as she was before but don't worry, there will be plenty more of them together. Thank you. Please review.

**Awesomeperson17- **Thanks. There will be a lot more drama soon. The next chapter should be quite dramatic. Please review.

**xTheBlondex- **Thanks, glad you like it.

**HeartsGlow- **He really should have. Welsh was a dick but I guess Harry just didn't want any fuss. He doesn't want anything to do with the ministry at the moment so he didn't bother to do anything about it. Maybe Harry doesn't snap, but he does have mood swings. Then again, I always imagine Tonks to be the type to over react and exaggerate about things. Thanks for the reviews. I hope you're enjoying it.

**BubbleWrap08- **Aww, thank you. I am so happy that my writing actually makes sense as I sometimes wonder if the _story_ actually makes sense and flows correctly. Thank you! Also, I'm really glad that you like Teddy too. I've been trying really hard to make him seem cute and no one seemed to notice before. About Dumbledore and the ring, he was going to put it on but was distracted by something. I mentioned it somewhere in the story but I didn't say what it was he was distracted by. You might find out later but it might not be relevant, I'll have to see. Please review.

**Phoenixx Rising- **Thank you for reviewing. I'm happy that you're enjoying it so far. I'll try not to keep you all waiting for more.


	25. The Revelation of Regrets

Hi again. This chapter is really short so it didn't take long to do. It's short for two reasons; the last one was really long and secondly I thought that this chapter should really stand alone because it is quite important.

Please enjoy.

* * *

Walking Free

_The Revelation of Regrets_

_Every part of his body ached. A dull throbbing coursing through his veins was always there these days; the remnants of the Cruciatus curse he guessed. He was lucky though, he thought; they hadn't come for him in days. They had left him alone to recover somewhat. In some ways, that was worse. Not knowing when they were next coming. The long wait, anticipating their next move, scared him more. The long wait meant he had time to worry about the torture that would happen; there was no doubt about that, it would definitely happen. The long wait left him wanting death to approach faster, to close its grip around him, squeezing the last breath out of his damaged lungs so that he could be left in peace._

_He shivered. The cold air of the dungeons was an anguish he could never escape. It was always there, waking him after an evening of torment and agony. It reminded him that he lived and breathed still. It was there, teasing him of the freedom beyond the closed dungeon door, reminding him of the cool summer breezes he appreciated so much during his holidays at Privet Drive as he worked in the garden. He recalled the harsh winter winds that sailed through the cold crisp air of the Scottish mountains where Hogwarts sat, observing each season as it came. _

_The constant drip of water coming from the ceiling splashed too loudly as it landed on the stone floor in a puddle nearby Harry's blindfolded figure. That was the worst part, he thought to himself often. The 'plop' of water onto the ground next to him created a monotony that drilled away at his nerves, endless, unstoppable. That, and the desire to remove the blindfold from his bloodied and bruised face, were the things Harry hated the most when he was alone. As these thoughts crept into his mind once more, he heard the uneven patter of feet on stone, a tell-tale sign that Pettigrew was on his way down to the dungeon. Harry hoped it was to bring food but the sudden increase in burning of his scare told him that regrettably, Voldemort required his presence._

_Harry heard the mechanics of the door grinding loudly as Wormtail unlocked it. The door swung open with a groan, slamming against the wall and back again due to its momentum. The next thing Harry knew, the wheezing man had grabbed his arms, pulling him into an upright position. Harry let out a piteous moan and fell back slightly. The arms were there again, this time dragging him to the wall behind him, and leaving him leaning against the brick for support. Harry grunted and shuffled his tired body into a somewhat more comfortable position. _

'_Hello Harry.' The whisper greeting could only have been uttered by Voldemort; no one else had the ability to send such a blood curdling shudder up Harry's spine with only two words. Silence followed. The only sound that Harry could make out was the wheezing to his left._

'_Bring him upstairs, Wormtail. I wish to have a talk with Mr. Potter.' With that, the Dark Lord left the room, leaving the short, chubby man to his job. Harry's heart was pumping wildly in his chest. He knew that a talk with Lord Voldemort meant one thing; pain. When Voldemort was given an answer that did not satisfy him, he let you know only too clearly. Harry had come to learn that fairly early on._

_Harry whimpered as the strong hands grabbed him, around his chest this time. 'No, please.' he croaked as the man began to drag him across the floor. Harry kicked in every direction, hoping he would make contact with Wormtail's legs._

'_Stop!' Wormtail called out but when the boy in his arms did not cooperate, the animagus slapped the boy's face with his metal hand._

_The impact of the hand on the side of Harry's head almost knocked him out. Crying out in agony, Harry stopped fighting, and instead, focused on trying to breathe through the pain. In doing so, he couldn't recall how Wormtail managed to move him out of the dungeon and up the stairs but eventually, he found himself being strapped onto a table of sorts. His arms, which were usually tied behind his back, were now laid down on the surface with straps over each of his wrists._

'_Remove the face-cover.' Voldemort snapped at the servant as he surveyed the boy on the table before him. _

'_Yes, o-of course, master.' the servant stuttered as he turned and yanked the coarse bag off of Harry's head._

_Harry didn't know until the bag had been removed, just how much light it had kept from his eyes. The brightly lit room blinded the boy momentarily. He moaned and squeezed his eyes shut as they burnt from the light. He blinked a couple times, adjusting to the lighting as he lay on the hard table. The final time he opened his dull green eyes, the well-lit room had dimed slightly. Belatedly, Harry realised that it was due to the face hovering above his own. Voldemort looked down on his captive with a gruesome smile._

_Had Harry been wearing his glasses, he would have recoiled, but his poor eye-sight, coupled with the adjustment his eyes were making because of the light, meant he could barely see anything in front of him. He squinted at the face only inches above his, his heart drumming at his ribcage, banging sickening fear._

'_We need a little talk, Harry. I will get straight to the point.' The Dark Lord moved away from the boy and walked slowly around the table. 'I trust you will cooperate this time. You remember what happened last time you displeased me.' The last part was not a question. Lord Voldemort knew Harry remembered, he had made sure of that; however, Harry remained silent. He knew he had to be strong. He would not let Voldemort break him. 'I think, we shall start from where we were last time.' _

_Lord Voldemort placed his mouth next to Harry's ear and whispered softly, 'You remember where we left off, don't you?' Harry shuddered and as the man moved his face from him, he raised his hand and delicately stroked Harry's cheek. Harry jerked away and cried out as the pain from Voldemort's touch rippled through him._

'_The prophecy, Harry.' he said expectantly. 'The prophecy says you have the power to vanquish me, Harry. What power is this? What power do you have, that I, Lord Voldemort, do not possess?' Harry remained silent. 'Answer me!' When Harry refused to speak, Voldemort slashed his wand down, creating a long cut from Harry's shoulder all the way down to his hip. Buckling and grunting in pain, Harry turned his head away from the wizard and took a couple of gulping breaths. The intense stinging from the bleeding wound across his front made his eyes water, something he wanted to keep from Voldemort. 'Tell me! Tell me what you know!' But yet again, Harry refused to speak. He didn't know what Voldemort wanted from him. Dumbledore had told him the prophecy but that was where Harry's knowledge on the matter ended. So the process continued. Voldemort questioned Harry but received no answer. The punishments grew in intensity each time the teen failed to answer the Dark Lord. By the end of it, Harry could not have said how many times he had been whipped, cursed and stabbed. He was left gasping for breath, on the brink of losing consciousness, when Voldemort asked a final question for the night._

'_Look at you!' he spat. 'Weak, pathetic! And to think,' he said as he strolled round Harry and passed Wormtail, who had remained in the corner for the entire time, 'you believe you have to power to vanquish me, don't you Harry?'_

'_Yes.' Harry's reply was almost inaudible. Voldemort turned a piercing glare onto the boy and was about to punish him once more when Pettigrew spoke up._

'_Master, what, what i-if the boy is right? W-what if he has the p-p-power?' he stuttered._

_Harry yelled out as his scar seared with pain. He heard Voldemort scream in anger and shout a spell at the servant before Harry was sucked in the wizards angered thoughts._

'_The boy cannot kill me. I cannot die.' he thought to himself. 'They will keep me safe and whole. I cannot die!' Had Harry not been in such a state, he may have questioned himself, later on, as to what exactly it was he was seeing; however, the pain from the torture he had just endured and the agony of being inside Voldemort's head left him dully watching and listening to the wizard's thoughts._

_In a rush of colour, Harry watched in Voldemort's mind as a series of thoughts and pictures flashed before him. A small run down shack came into view for a moment, followed by a ring with a delicate stone placed in the centre._

'_The ring is hidden safely in the Gaunt's old house. No one would ever come across the ring; it was well hidden.' he thought quickly, before the images changed onto another object. A very familiar black leather diary came into focus. 'Destroyed years ago in the Chamber of Secrets.' he thought, 'No matter. It is only one. There are plenty more to protect me.' _

_The next image Harry saw was a small golden cup, decorated delicately with an engraved badger and a few jewels. 'Helga Hufflepuff's cup; hidden in this very building, Malfoy Manor, protected by Bellatrix.' he thought and as he did so, the image of the magnificent manor with peacocks running free in the grounds came to mind. 'Nagini, as well.' The great snake jumped into the forefront of his mind. 'Nagini will forever be safe. I will not let her be harmed.' _

'_Slytherin's locket.' he thought as the image of the gold necklace with the intricate pendant flashed through his mind. It was quickly followed by thoughts of the cave in which it was protected. 'There is no way anyone will find the locket. It is too well protected. As is the Diadem, Ravenclaw's Diadem.' he thought to himself as the crown popped into his mind with the quote 'Wit before measure is man's greatest treasure' engraved across it. Just before Harry lost consciousness, he found himself standing before an old, stone wall, watching intently and with an immeasurable amount of glee as a large wooden door grew before him, allowing him entrance into the room where he could hide his precious object._

Harry's eyes snapped open as he turned to his side and vomited over the edge of the bed, his stomach churning, flipping in circles. Tucking himself into a ball, the teen took deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. A film of sweat covered his forehead, which burnt fiercely, and his whole body shook, not from the cold but from the horror's he had witnessed. He whimpered as another wave of nausea swept through him. Clenching his stomach with his hands, he again moved his head over the side of the bed and emptied the contents of his stomach onto the floor. He squeezed his eyes shut and remained in the same position, curled up tightly on his right side, rocking himself slightly on the bed for what felt like an age. A small trickle of blood had begun to make its way out of his nostril and down his chin; he ignored it, choosing instead to stay in his current position which gave him a feeling of protection.

Upon opening his eyes a while later, Harry found himself in his bedroom in Grimmauld Place. The dreary curtains that covered the grimy windows let in some of the early morning light and the chatter of birds that met Harry's ears from outside told him that the sun had just risen. Harry did not move. He was a mess, he knew it, but he just couldn't force himself to move. The memory, and Harry was positive it was a memory and not just a dream, confirmed what Dumbledore had spoken to him about down in the kitchen a while ago. The last Horcrux was the Diadem and Harry knew where it was, he knew where to find it.

The triumph that Harry would have felt about this astonishingly lucky gain of information just did not exist; instead, Harry was left thinking about the connection between Lord Voldemort and himself. It was convenient, was it not, that Harry had been able to see into Voldemort's mind. Convenient that Voldemort had accidently shared with Harry, the whereabouts of his Horcruxes, the key to his destruction.

'Connection' Harry whispered to the empty room as he subconsciously rubbed his burning scar. That was what Dumbledore had called it. The aged Professor said that there was most likely a connection between Voldemort and Nagini because of the Horcrux. Surely, that was what Harry's connection to the Dark Lord also meant? Harry had asked the Headmaster how a living creature could have contained part of someone else's soul. The Headmaster's answer was a simple one; there was a connection. A connection that allowed the Dark Lord to have access to his mind? That was what Dumbledore had said about Nagini; Voldemort had possessed his snake. And isn't that what Voldemort had done to Harry all those years ago in the Ministry? Voldemort had possessed Harry just as he had done with his snake.

Harry closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. If Nagini had to be killed in order for the Horcrux inside of her to be destroyed, surely Harry would have to die too. He was a Horcrux, one of the seven. The last one, unintentionally made by Voldemort when the Dark Lord tried to kill him as a baby. It had to be. When else could it have happened? And it must have been a mistake on Voldemort's part otherwise, why would he have tried to kill him- one of his own Horcruxes? The prophecy did say that Harry had the power to kill Voldemort, but surely if the Dark Lord had known about the Horcrux inside him, he would have been more careful about keeping Harry locked away, keeping what was resting inside Harry safe? That way he could keep that part of himself alive and strong and prevent Harry from destroying him at the same time. It was obvious- he was the last Horcrux- the Horcrux Voldemort never meant to make.

The headache that had plagued Harry since he had woken intensified and the nosebleed refused to cease, blood continuing to tumble over his lips, but still, Harry did not move. He lay there, cocooned within his blankets, appreciating life while he still lived, listening to the birds chirruping to one another, serenading each other with their own song. He had to die. He had to _die_. It had always been a possibility that one day Voldemort would kill him but Harry had never imagined that he would hand himself over to the man, let him steal the life he had tried so hard to protect, fought for, for all these years. It seemed unreal. The day before had been Christmas. He had spent the day with friends, enjoying time with them languidly, looking forward to a possible future with Ginny. He had promised her that he would find her once the war was over, promised her that they could be together, and now, he was planning his death. How could his life have changed so suddenly? It seemed unfair. Yesterday he had been given false hope that one day he would be happy, safe and with someone he loved but now? Now he had been left with the cold, hard truth that he would never enjoy the things in life that other people planned for, wished for, couldn't wait to grow up and experience. His life had come to a sudden stop. This was it - his life – and what did he have to show for it but a body littered with scars and mind full of pain and regrets. He was ashamed to admit it but he had never felt so sorry for himself in all his life.

* * *

Another chapter up! Thank you for the reviews.

**jafr86- **Thanks. I'm glad you like it. :)

**xTheBlondex- **Good old Malfoy. :) I thought that it would be quite funny if he actually got on with one of the Weasleys and thought that it would have to be Arthur because he's so funny and he works in the Ministry so he and Draco have something in common.

**Phoenixx Rising- **Yeah, the trio are almost back to how they were, maybe the battle will bring them even closer. :)

Please review!


	26. Discoveries: An Old Man's Tale

Hello people! Sorry to have taken so long but I'm back.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_Discoveries: An Old Man's Tale_

That morning Harry woke early. To be honest he had barely slept after his nightmare and revelation about his future, or lack of. He had stared at the ceiling for hours, imagining what his life could have been like. What he could have had, if he wasn't…him. If he wasn't Harry Potter, who would he be? Would he have parents? Would he have been brought up in a loving family who cared for him, played with him when he was a child, celebrated special events with him? Loved him? If he wasn't Harry Potter then maybe he could have had these things and he could live happily knowing that there were many more moments like this to come. He would marry, have children and live the life he had always dreamed of. There was just one problem. He _was_ Harry Potter. The chosen one.

Before leaving the bed he used a cleaning spell over the bloody sheets and the floor where he had been sick in the night. As he dressed, he continued to fret about what could have been. Pulling on a woolen jumper he checked his watch which read six thirty am. He knew Hermione would probably be awake and would have most likely cleaned half the house already so he made his way down to the kitchen where, unsurprisingly, Hermione was cooking breakfast. She and Ron had decided to stay with him over the past two weeks since his splinching, wanting to spend more time together. They had occupied a room down the corridor from Harry's own and the amount of the couple's possessions in the house had begun to increase each day it seemed. Soon enough they'd be completely moved in, which wasn't really a bad thing. They lived in the Burrow currently which was always busy and full of people so Grimmauld Place could be a better alternative for a young couple.

'Oh, hello Harry. You okay?' Hermione asked as he shuffled through the doorway.

He nodded as he slipped into a chair at the table. He poured himself a glass of juice from the jug and thanked Hermione when she placed a plate of beans and bacon in from of him.

'So, what are you doing today?' she asked, taking a seat opposite the brunette.

'Going to Hogwarts again.' She looked at him with worry.

'Don't you think it's a little risky? You could end up splinching yourself again if you're not careful.'

'I'll be fine. I only got hurt because I was tired and shaken up.' Harry said with a smile, understanding her concern.

'Okay, but use Dumbledore's fireplace to come back this time instead, just to be sure.' Harry nodded but she made him promise.

They ate together with idle chatter, Ron joining them only half and hour later, the smell of bacon rousing him from his sleep. They weren't disturbed by Malfoy who had a tendency to sleep later and keep to himself, not joining them at meal times. The trio were glad of this as it gave each of them a sense of normality. They were able to laugh and fall back into the familiar actions of their breakfasts at school together. They peered over the _Prophet _and discussed the news as if they were once again as close as they had been.

For Ron and Hermione this was a blessing. They had waited for months for Harry to accept them and feel comfortable being around them but for Harry it was more painful than he possibly could have imagined. He had wanted the comfort of his friends' presence for ages but now that he knew it was only to last a few more weeks, possibly days, it hurt to be near them. When he had been in Azkaban and on the run Harry had stayed awake night after night, dreaming of what his life could be like once the war was over. He had selfishly wished for a better life, for things to work out for him, for his life to one day be what he had always hoped it would. But now he had no life to dream for. He had no wishes for himself to make. So as he sat at the kitchen table, with two of the people he loved most in the world so close, he wished for their happiness. He wished for their lives, not his.

* * *

Feet crunching through the snow and a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck Harry marched purposefully towards the grand castle ahead of him. He had felt like the end of the world had hit him when he woke that morning but over the last hour or so he had decided that instead of feeling sorry for himself he would do what he knew had to be done. He was making the biggest sacrifice a person could make but he was doing it for the people he cared about and the sooner he did it, the better.

When he reached the large wooden doors he found the handle glistening with ice, sealed firmly shut, indicating that no one had ventured outside yet that morning. Then again it was eight in the morning and he doubted, considering his own time at Hogwarts, that many of the students were even awake. The Christmas holidays for the students had ended the day before and Harry suspected that a lot of them were not used to waking up so early for their lessons. He waved his wand over the cold metal, casting a warming spell which quickly melted the ice, allowing him to turn the handle and enter the school.

Without hesitation Harry made his way to the Headmaster's tower, which held Dumbledore's office, on the third floor. He saw only a few teachers on his walk through the castle, none of whom spoke to him. When he reached the gargoyle protecting Dumbledore's quarters he fumbled with the many possible passwords in his head until he remembered what it had been on his previous visit.

'Toffee drizzle.' he said clearly and sighed in relief as the gargoyle began to turn. When the steps came into view Harry took them two at a time, eager to get things moving. The longer it took for them to find the last hidden Horcrux the more time it gave him to think about his impending death. He knew that if he dwelled on that thought the harder it would be to follow through with his plans.

Just as Harry was about to knock on the door he noticed it had been left ajar. Peering through the crack he saw a familiar man stood before the headmaster's desk. The conversation was slightly muffled so lowering his hand he leant in, trying to pick up what was being said.

'I'm a target in this war, Severus, just as much as Harry is.' Dumbledore's soft voice held a sound of regret. 'If I die before I pass this information onto Harry, I will need you to step in.'

Harry was unable to see Snape's face but he could practically feel the scowl that graced his thin features. 'What information?' he drawled.

Dumbledore let a small sigh pass his lips. 'That night, almost nineteen years ago, when Lily Potter gave her life to save her son from Lord Voldemort, the Killing Curse rebounded upon Lord Voldemort, and a part, albeit a very small part, of his soul was blasted apart from the whole, and latched itself onto the only living soul in the room.'

Harry felt his stomach drop and a tight chill erupt down his spine. He had been right. He had suspected but he hadn't completely allowed himself to believe it until now. It was then that Snape spoke the words all three men had been thinking.

'So that…_man's _soul…is inside Potter?'

Dumbledore took a deep breath and lifted a china tea cup with a slightly quivering hand. 'Yes. You are quite right. This part of Voldemort's soul inside Harry gives the boy the ability to speak with snakes, and his connection with Voldemort which I am sure he still doesn't understand. And as long as this fragment of his soul remains protected by Harry, unintentionally, Voldemort cannot die.'

'And you're telling me that Potter must die for the Dark Lord to be vanquished?' Snape asked angrily, surprising Harry who stood behind the door, his breath held.

'I am afraid so. And Lord Voldemort must be the one to do it.'

Neither of the two men spoke for a moment or two. Harry felt his eyes burning with frustrated tears even though he had seen this coming.

'But you said…' Snape spluttered. 'You…I thought that all this time…we were protecting him…for her…for Lily.'

'We have been protecting him because it has been essential to teach him, let him grow into the man that he needs to be, to do what no one else can. He must be the one to eventually destroy Lord Voldemort. If I know Harry, and I'm pretty sure I do, he will have arranged matters so that when he does hand himself over, and goes to his death, it will truly mean the end of Voldemort.'

'What matters? What do you mean?'

'The Horcruxes. Harry must destroy the remaining Horcruxes.' Dumbledore said flatly, as if it were obvious.

Snape said nothing. And then, 'Why didn't you tell me this before?' He didn't wait for an answer. 'The Dark Lord has Horcruxes? After everything I've done for you, all the spying, the lying and the number of times I've put myself in mortal danger and you never thought once to tell me about this?'

'I'm sorry Severus but I couldn't afford to tell you. You have been working too closely with Voldemort for me to have shared this information with you sooner. I could not risk him finding out that you knew about them as it would endanger your life as well as others. Even now I am putting you at risk.' Dumbledore said. 'I feel though that the war is coming to a climax, it is reaching its peak. Voldemort has obtained complete control of the ministry, everyone is in danger. He grows stronger every day. For these reasons, I believe it is necessary for this information to finally be entrusted upon you.'

'I work closely with him at your orders!' Snape all but snarled. 'After everything I do for you the least I expected was your trust! Have I not proven myself over the years?' he asked sarcastically. 'Am I not _worthy _of your trust?'

'Enough!' Dumbledore's voice soared above Snape's as he silenced the man. 'Don't be childish Severus. You know that is not the case and I do trust you; wholeheartedly. More than any other person I know. Why else would I have given you such a colossal task as the one you have been burdened with for all these years?'

'But this? I can't believe you kept this from me! If I had known about the Horcruxes maybe I could have helped. Maybe I could have found out where they were hidden and the Dark Lord would be dead by now.'

'You know that is not so, Severus.' Dumbledore said sympathetically as Snape became a little frantic. 'Even if you had known; there would have been nothing you could do. I myself have only recently discovered what we are truly up against. It was only a few years ago that I managed to acquire the memory from Slughorn that revealed Tom Riddle's interest in Horcruxes.'

The conversation ceased and Harry waited in anticipation, his mind not fully taking in everything he was hearing. From where he stood he heard Snape exhaled in exasperation, obviously trying to figure out what he had been told.

'So let me get this straight,' Snape suddenly said. 'that boy….Harry Potter, is a Horcrux?' Dumbledore said nothing but both Harry and Snape knew what he was thinking. 'And to destroy the Dark Lord, Potter must also die?'

There was a painful pause before a whispered 'Yes' sounded from the aged man. Harry could almost see him in his mind, the man's head in his weary hands, his eyes closed in sorrow.

'You have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment?' Snape spat.

'This was the only way, Severus. This way we can finally be rid of Lord Voldemort. Lives will be saved, changed for the better.'

'All but his.' Snape cut sharply. From the reverse side of the large wooden door, Harry, for the first time he could ever remember, felt a glimmer of compassion for the greasy haired man not ten metres from where he stood. 'After everything that boy has been through, even from the innocent age of one, being orphaned, tortured by the Dark Lord, the Death Eaters…myself…being sent to rot in Azkaban like his godfather for a crime he never committed and now, now you tell me that after all that…he must die. And for the convenience and lives of others. Those _others _who refused to believe that their so called savior was innocent of murder and locked him away. Face it Albus…you've been raising him like a pig for slaughter!'

Dumbledore was quiet for a while and the atmosphere seemed very still, as was Harry's heartbeat. He had never heard Snape speak to the Headmaster with such venom before, never expected he could hold so much passion behind his cold, hard exterior. And to top it all off, he was defending him, Harry Potter. The man may still hate him, but for some reason he was arguing for his sake.

'I never thought you cared so much for the boy. This is rather touching.'

'For _him_?' Snape spat, shattering Harry's moment of warm admiration for the Death Eater. 'It was never for _him_. Never! _Expecto patronum!_'

Harry saw a blinding glow of white light erupt from inside the room. He stood on his toes as he peered closer to see what was happening beyond the crack in the door. All of a sudden the light became stronger and Harry reared back automatically, despite knowing that whatever animal Snape's patronus was couldn't hurt him, and watched as the light sprung through the gap.

The beautiful doe bowed her graceful head as she glided past Harry and flew down the long, lonely corridor until her brilliant light faded into nothing more than a soft glow before she disappeared altogether. Harry swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as time seemed to slow down, almost to a stand still. Something felt so unbelievably familiar about Snape's patronus. He felt as if he had seen it before, felt it's presence before. Oddly, it reminded him of his father's animagus form of a stag. He shook his head of his thoughts when the two men in Dumbledore's office continued their conversation.

'Even after all this time?' the headmaster asked, voice cracking slightly.

'It's always been her…My Lily.'

Harry gasped, his whole body freezing over. Lily? Lily Evans? His mother? It then struck him why he recognized the doe. He had often wondered what his parents' patronesses were. As his father's animagus had been a stag he had assumed that his patronus would be the same and on many occasions he had been told by people that knew them that his parents were true soul mates. If that were the case then it would make sense if his mother's patronus was a doe. And so was Snape's. Because…because he loved her.

'I never realised just how much she meant to you.' Dumbledore said sorrowfully. 'I wish things could have been different, Severus. I wish it didn't have to end like this…for Lily and James' sakes as well as Harry's.'

Harry leant against the wall outside the office, his heart beating in an unruly pattern leaving the young man breathless. His head was spinning. He was confused, angry at Dumbledore for not telling him everything he knew before.

'_He should have just let me die!' _Harry thought venomously. Before allowing himself to slip into an angry depression, Harry calmed himself down and fixed his mind on what he needed to do. If he was to defeat Voldemort he needed to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes and for that, he needed the elderly headmaster's help.

'What about the other Horcruxes? What were they? How many are there? Snape sounded a little desperate. Dumbledore sighed tiredly and Harry felt the same way; knowing that it was a long story.

'There are six,' he started. 'at least, six which Voldemort knowingly created.' Snape looked at the aged man skeptically.

'And the one he unknowingly created…was Potter.' he stated, mainly to his own pounding mind which had reached breaking point.

'Yes. Voldemort was led to believe that he had the upper hand with his secret Horcruxes. However, not only do I, as well as some others, know about his Horcruxes, the two of us know about the one he never meant to make. He wants to kill Harry; however, he is unaware that by doing so, he is destroying a part of his own soul. But once Harry…once Harry is dead and the remaining Horcruxes destroyed, Voldemort can finally be killed.

'The first Horcrux destroyed was Tom Riddle's diary. Harry killed the fragment of Voldemort's soul that was inside the diary during his second year; using a Basilisk fang. Although at the time, Harry had no idea just what he was doing or how it would benefit us all now. I destroyed the second Horcrux.' Harry heard the sound of a desk draw being opened and a soft click as something was placed on the wooden surface. 'Marvolo Gaunt's ring.' Dumbledore supplied before Snape could say anything. 'Hidden under the floorboards by Voldemort in the Gaunt house. I do not believe Tom knew all of the ring's secrets though. This stone' Harry heard the metal of the ring scrape across the desk and guessed Dumbledore had held it up for the Potions master to see, 'is actually one of the Deathly Hallows.'

Snape stood silently before hesitantly speaking. 'The Deathly Hallows? As in, the ones described in the children's story?'

'The very same, my boy. The very same. Most believe it is indeed, merely a children's story. I have studied the Hallows for many years, desperate to find the last of the three.'

'You have the other two then? The wand and the cloak?'

'I have one of the two.' Harry heard the elderly man place the ring back onto the desk before he grabbed another item.

'The Elder wand? The Death stick?' Snape whispered in astonishment. 'How…where did you get this? I had thought that its trail had been lost, many years ago.'

'I won it.' Albus said simply. 'I won it from Gellert Grindelwald all those years ago.'

The two men were silent as the Potions master studied what was considered to be the most powerful wand in the world. After a minute or two, Snape spoke again.

'And the cloak. If you do not have it, where is it?'

'You are a clever man, Severus. Surely you can think of such a cloak. A cloak impenetrable by spells, a cloak that has successfully kept the wearer hidden since its creation. I can think of only one.'

'Potter.' Snape snarled.

'Indeed. The Potter's are descendants of the Peverell brothers, the brothers of which the childrens tale pertains. But this is beside the point, my boy. We were talking of Horcruxes, not Hallows.'

Harry sucked a deep breath in, in shock. He had never come across the Deathly Hallows before but if Dumbledore had searched for them, surely they were of some consequence. To hear that his father's old cloak, the one given to him at his very first Christmas in the Wizarding world, belonged to a wizard from centuries ago gave him a warm tingly feeling inside. It made the item so much more precious to Harry. Knowing that it had a history made it all the more special.

Harry imagined Snape nodded as Dumbledore continued.

'I found the ring and discovered its secret. I wished to use the ring, to be able to say that I had used all three of the Hallows. Moreover, I wished to see my family again, my parents, my sister.' The aged wizard sighed again. 'Few people know of my past, Severus. I am a secretive man. Understand that it is hard for me to speak of my past. I am not proud of it. I wanted to make amends with my family. I was foolish enough to believe that by wearing the ring it would activate the stone.'

'You put it on? But if it was a Horcrux, surely it carried a curse?' Severus interrupted, disregarding Dumbledore's earlier comments about his past.

Dumbledore sighed heavily before whispering 'No.' There was a pause as the elderly man cleared his throat. 'No. I was tempted, greatly tempted. I held it in my hand, eager to put it on my finger. I thought that if I did, I would see my family once again. I was so close to sliding it on when I became distracted by a more pressing matter. Distracted, in fact, by you.'

'Me?'

'Yes, the very patronous you just performed, delivering a message of upmost importance, stopped me. The message, of course, was that of Harry's arrest. That message saved my life for, as you quite rightly said, the ring carried a curse that would have undoubtedly resulted in my death had I placed it on my finger. Needless to say, I destroyed it with Gryffindor's sword.'

Harry heard the draw close and guessed that the Headmaster had placed the ring back into its current hiding place.

'The next Horcrux involved a slightly different approach. I believed it to be held close to Voldemort, perhaps inside Malfoy Manor where so many of his meetings had taken place. You, quite conveniently, overheard Voldemort speaking to Bellatrix over a matter involving the moving of some of Tom's possessions in Malfoy Manor to a more secure location.'

'I recall this conversation. Bellatrix offered her vault in Gringotts. The Dark Lord seemed pleased by this. They discussed moving the items in the near future.'

'Exactly! Exactly! Your information gave me hope. What would Voldemort possess that he would require to be protected? A Horcrux. Of course, I could not waltz into Malfoy Manor to seize a Horcrux and I could not send you for fear of you being caught. I was stuck in a quandary.

'That night, as I sat in my office, going over various plans to find the Horcrux, I had a visitor. A house elf named Dobby. A friendly, independent elf who had a fierce, fierce dedication to young Harry. He was visibly upset over Harry's imprisonment. He had come to my office to ask for help, to persuade me of Harry innocence, of which I was already certain he was, and to find a way to remove Harry from Azkaban. I told the elf there was nothing that I could have done. I had already tried. I had exhausted all of the possibilities; but, I had an idea. An idea that did not involve Harry directly but would certainly help him in the future. The elf agreed readily. I should not have asked him to do it; anything could have happened to him but I was a desperate old man.

'He was more than happy to go back to his old master's house, back to Malfoy manor to search for an important item that, if destroyed, would lead us one step closer to Voldemort's demise. I told him to look for a cup. Hufflepuff's cup to be exact. I asked him to, once he found such an item, make a copy of it, replace the real cup with the copy and to return to my office with it. I waited a week for his return. By the third day, I believed the plan fruitless. Surely he would have found it by now? But, on the seventh night, I was awoken at twenty to four in the morning by a bright and joyful elf who had searched the Manor from top to bottom but had eventually come across a glass cabinet, protected by enchantments, which contained a small, old, ornately decorated cup.'

'How did an elf get past the enchantments?'

'Do not doubt house elves, Severus. They have far more control of their magic than we give them credit for. They have an amazing grasp of magic. The elves are able to apparate inside of Hogwarts, something us wizards are not capable of. Dobby told me he was not able to open the cabinet at first, but in fear of turning up to my office with no cup, he stayed at the Manor, hidden from sight, until he was able to open the cabinet. And when he did so, he made a copy, placed the copy on the shelf and left without a trace. I studied the cup carefully, ensured that it was indeed a Horcrux and then rid the world of it in the same way as the last.'

'Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that an elf aided you in the destruction of one of the Dark Lord's Horcruxes.' From where Harry was, he could make out Snape pacing around the office.

'I also find it somewhat miraculous, Severus; but, in a bout of bad luck, Dobby turned up and gave me hope. He allowed me to believe that this task may be possible.'

Snape sighed and ceased pacing. Harry heard the sound of a chair scraping against the floor and guessed that the Potions master had taken a seat before the Headmaster.

'The other Horcruxes? You have only described three. You said there we more?'

'Tom Riddle wished to create seven. He did so, but the seventh, Harry, was made unknowingly. The fourth one belonged to Salazar Slytherin. It was a locket, hidden by Voldemort in a cave he had visited with the orphanage when he was a boy. I travelled to the cave, with Dobby as a companion. Inside the cave, on an island surrounded by water containing Inferi, was a basin. The basin contained the locket; however, the only means of obtaining the locket was by drinking the potion that covered it. I did so, with Dobby's help. The elf fed me the potion; a ghastly concoction that caused the drinker pain and horrific visions. I drank it all, collected the locket and left with Dobby. It was only when I returned to Hogwarts did I realise that I was not the first to have gone to the cave. The locket was a fake, replaced by a young Death Eater just before his death. I did not know this, of course, until I was told the full story sometime later.

'You recall the trip we took to Grimauld Place not that long ago.' It was a statement, not a question but Harry guessed that Snape nodded in affirmation. 'I took the fake Horcrux to Harry, told him my story and left. A few days later, Harry paid me a visit. With him, he brought the real locket, the real Horcrux, and its story. Regulus Black, having discovered Voldemort's secret, went to the cave, obtained the locket and gave it to his elf, Kreacher to destroy. Regulus died in that cave, taken to the lake's depths by the Inferi. Kreacher kept the locket and tried in vain to destroy but had no such luck. When Harry went to Azkaban, Kreacher moved to Malfoy Manor to serve Bellatrix. He took with him his few possessions of which included the locket. When he saw Harry had the fake locket, the truth came out. The elf handed over the real locket to Harry when he learned that it could be destroyed. Harry destroyed it here, in my office, with the sword of Gryffindor.

'So far, those are all that have been destroyed. There are two left of which I am unsure; however, I believe one of which to be Voldemort's snake.'

'Nagini?' Severus questioned.

'Yes, Nagini. I should think that soon, Voldemort will begin to fear for her safety. She will be a difficult one to destroy.'

'And the last? Do you have any idea what it could be or where it is hidden?'

'Alas, I can only guess that it is linked to another of the founders of Hogwarts. Since we have the sword of Gryffindor in this very room, I should think it is some item related to Ravenclaw, but all of this is purely projection rather than fact.'

'So we have hit a block in the road?'

'It would seem so, my boy. It would seem so.'

The two men sat in silence for some time. Harry's heart beat painfully in his chest. The only sound he could hear was a rushing in his ears. He did not know how long he stood there; leaning against the wall, trying to comprehend all that had unwittingly been divulged to him. It could have been ten minutes, it could have been an hour, Harry was unsure but the conversation between the two wizards in the office had moved on and Harry had missed the start, too focused on himself. Without giving himself anymore time to become frustrated Harry turned to the door and gave a loud knock upon the wood. The discussion in the room came to a halt. Then he heard an elderly voice beckon him into the room. When he opened the door he saw the headmaster standing next to Fawkes who nuzzled the man's wrinkled hand, while Snape was stood awkwardly by the window to Dumbledore's left. He guessed that they must have moved from their seats when he wasn't listening.

'Hello Harry. Did you have a merry Christmas?' As usual the man indicated a seat to Harry who took it but refused the offer of a sherbet lemon that followed.

'Yes, thanks.' Snape gave an indignant snort but Dumbledore smiled brightly as he too sat down, behind his desk. 'And yourself?' Harry asked somewhat awkwardly.

'Quite enjoyable, my boy. Thank you for asking.' The two men stared at one another for a moment or two until the headmaster tilted his head to the side. 'Was there something you wanted, Harry?'

'Yes, please stop wasting our time.' the Potions master spat as he turned from the window and folded his arms in a scolding manner. Harry suddenly felt as if he were back in school and stuck in one of Snape's classes, trying to concentrate on his work but finding it almost impossible with the man's unnaturally crooked nose looming over his shoulder.

'Sorry…_Professor_, but I was here to see Dumbledore and the matter I have come to discuss with him has nothing to do with you.'

Snape's nostrils flared in silent outrage.

'Not to worry, Harry,' Dumbledore cut in before the two brunettes could start an argument knowing that if he let them continue, his office may never fully recover and Severus would sulk around the castle with a look of pure, unadulterated hate in his eyes. 'I'm sure that anything you need to talk to me about will be safe with Professor Snape. And on another note,' he said more brightly. 'as you are no longer a student here, I find no need for you to continue referring to us by our professional positions.'

'Okay…sir.' he said, still not able to shake off his polite disposition in front of his previous headmaster. Harry then eyed Snape, jaw tight. Although he now knew that Snape was aware of Voldemort's Horcruxes, the two professors were oblivious to his spying leaving Harry uncomfortable divulging the information he had about the final pieces of the Dark Lord's soul to Voldemort's right hand man.

'I've found it.' he said shortly. Dumbledore's brows lifted and his eyes became quizzical. 'At least, I know where he's hiding it.'

The headmaster had to stop himself rising from his seat, his hands gripping the arms of his chair. 'Where is it?'

'Here. Inside the school.'

Snape approached the desk, keeping his back to Harry. 'Is he talking about…what we were just discussing?' Dumbledore nodded once. Snape drew in a sharp breath. Spinning on the spot the Potions master glared at the younger man. 'How do you know this?'

'The connection.' Harry said bluntly. Snape gave a quick nod. 'I've seen where he's hiding it. He was thinking about them. He's worried for their safety.'

'Did you see exactly where in the castle it is?' Snape asked. 'Where the…Horcrux is?'

'Yes.' Harry said confidently. 'It's in the room of requirement.'

'Do you have any idea what the Horcrux is?' Dumbledore questioned. He was leaning forward in his seat, his elbows resting on the edge of his desk, his eyes having clouded over with distant thought.

'It's the 'lost' Diadem of Ravenclaw.'

Snape grunted. 'Don't be ridiculous, Potter. How could the Dark Lord have gotten his hand on the Diadem? It hasn't been seen in centuries. No. You must have been hallucinating in your sleep, or consumed too much dairy products before you went to bed and had an over exaggerated dream. I wouldn't put it past you. After all, the whole point of something being lost is that you can't find it, isn't it _Mr. Potter_?'

'Well, it's not lost anymore is it…_Severus_?' Harry held back a grin as the Potions master's eye twitched.

'I'm not sure where it was being kept before Lord Voldemort found it, but if he has hidden it in the room of Requirement as you say he has, Harry, then it makes perfect sense as to why it hasn't been seen in more recent years. The room of Requirement is very clever at hiding secrets.' The twinkle in Dumbledore's eye was clear and he looked excited, if a little anxious.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy with school.

I hope you all liked it.

For those of you who wanted Harry to have one last rage at all the people who didn't believe he was innocent, I hope Snape's little fight with Dumbledore in Harry's favor helped a little. I love Snape!


	27. The Room of Hidden Things

Hello. Here's another chapter. There may not be another chapter for a few weeks after this; it depends on how much time I have to write. But the story is coming to an end so there's only a few chapters left.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_The Room of Hidden Things_

While snow flittered through the grounds of Hogwarts and the students sat shivering at their desks, all wrapped up in scarves and shrouded in warming charms, three men made their way down the long corridors of the castle, climbed staircase after staircase and, two of them in particular, argued about which way was the correct direction on numerous occasions. Finally, when they reached the seventh floor and were standing in the middle to the hall-way they had been looking for, all three of them stared up at the huge stretch of stone before them.

'Well then, Potter, this better be the right place.' Snape grumbled as he scoffed at the tapestry that depicted Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls Ballet. For some reason it reminded him of Sirius Black. It just seemed like something the insane man would have tried to do; if only to enrage and alienate himself from his family further. 'I'm not traipsing after you around this blasted school all day. I was starting to think you had got yourself lost.'

Harry glared at Snape, his hands curled in annoyance. 'Yes, this is it. Isn't it, Professor?'

The elderly man nodded; even thought he knew it was a rhetorical question asked to deliberately irk his colleague. 'Certainly is, my boy.'

'Very well then.' Snape's lips curved downwards in distaste. 'Would you like to do the honors, Potter?' he drawled.

'If you insist.' Harry replied with a grim smile.

'Remember Harry,' the headmaster warned softly as he held the Sword of Gryffindor at his side, 'you must be very specific.'

The brunette nodded as he thought about what it was he needed to ask for. He passed the two professors and began pacing by the wall, his request in mind, Harry purposefully trampled across Snape's robe which had billowed out in front of him. He heard the man's disgusted grunt but wasn't prepared for the material to be pulled out from beneath him; the surprised causing him to trip and stumble. He shot a look over his shoulder to see a smug looking Snape, brushing the non existent dirt off of his black robes.

Regaining his balance, Harry closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. As much as he loved to aggravate Snape, he knew that he must put all tomfoolery aside and focus on what he was required to do. As he paced back a forth, past the great wall three times, he repeated the chant in his head.

'_I need the place where everything is hidden.'_

As he walked, Harry kept his eyes straight ahead, not wanting to be distracted. Once he had walked passed the wall three times he stepped back to watch the stone transform. For a few seconds he was sure nothing was going to happen, wondering if he had miscounted his paces. Just as he was about to try again he realised that the wall ahead of him had begun to change. From the grey stone came a small wooden door which grew taller and wider until it resembled the grand entrance that Harry remembered from his fifth year.

When the hallway was once again still Harry made for the door handle. While his fingers quivered with adrenaline, he pushed down and allowed the oak door to swing gently open, just wide enough for him to slip through. Dumbledore followed soon after but Snape seemed unsure and held back a moment.

'Come now, Severus. We need all three of us to find the Diadem.' Snape's tight demeanor relaxed a little and he gave the elderly man a nod as he held open the door for him.

The room before him was larger than he had imagined. The ceiling, he was sure, reached higher than the castle's tallest towers. Looking up he noticed that the roof was made up of huge mirrors which reflected the mass of furniture and hidden objects that had been left in the room over the years. All around the Potions master were piles and mountains of lost items; chairs, tables, broken and damaged furniture, perhaps hidden to hide mishandled magic, thousands of books, many battered, probably banned, graffitied or stolen. Along two of the walls were shelves lined with chipped bottles or congealed potions and what appeared to be dragon eggshells. As he wandered further into the room he noticed armor and weapons leaning against the shelves; several rusting swords and a heavy bloodstained axe.

Severus frowned at the thought of having to search through all this rubbish in order to find the Diadem. '_Why couldn't it have been that gigantic stuffed troll over there?'_ he thought sourly. He had noticed the hideous thing almost as soon as he entered the room and wasn't too surprised as to why someone would want to hide it.

'There are many rows.' Dumbledore's voice echoed around the room. 'I suggest we take one each and then we will each then check the row the two others have been down, just to be sure we haven't missed it. But if you find it, call out.'

The other two men nodded their agreement and they each stood at the end of separate rows. Trouble was, in some places the heaps of hidden objects reached almost to the ceiling which meant that the Diadem could easily be at the very top and out of reach.

Harry began wandering down one of the long, narrow alleyways that twisted and curved on endlessly. He tried not to think about how long it was going to take them or just how unlikely they were to find the Diadem. There was just so much stuff packed into the room; tall piles of obscure objects teetering, threatening to fall at any moment.

Almost as soon as he had entered the room, Harry's scar had begun to tingle uncomfortably. It prickled and caused his forehead and back to perspire. He had once tried to explain to his friends what it felt like but had been unable to describe the experience. The only thing he could convey to them was that it was unpleasant but could vary from a slow burning irritation to a blinding pain like nothing he was sure anyone had ever experienced. He remembered during the last task of the Triwizard Tournament during his forth year, when he had come face to face with Voldemort and the man had touched his scar. The feeling was unreal and he could still feel the excruciating pain that ripped through his flesh when they made direct contact. He had quickly learnt over the years that the closer the two wizards were, the worse the stinging in his head became; but he was unsure as to why his scar had begun to irritate him once they had opened the doors to the room of requirement. He hoped that it was simply because the Horcrux was near, but he couldn't help the panic that overcame him momentarily at the thought of the man being in the room with them, or that he had figured out what they were doing and had become enraged.

Although he felt a little uncomfortable doing so, Harry tried to put himself in Tom Riddle's shoes; tried to imagine where the young Dark Lord would want to hid his precious Horcrux. Harry figured that he would want to hide where someone would be unlikely to see it at first glance, therefore reducing the chance of anyone finding it. However, Voldemort was a very clever man and might have possibly left it out in clear sigh, to fool people. Either way, Harry was certain that it wasn't going to be easy and prepared himself for a long search. He stopped after every step to check every surface, every box, open all cupboards, draws, desks, tins and crouch down to peer under tables and dressers incase the Diadem had been shoved underneath. He refused to let himself move on until he was sure the Diadem could not possibly be hidden in that section. It was tedious and he had to stop from searching halfheartedly once he became tired and his back sore from lifting heaving objects and clambering on the floor.

Part way down his second isle Harry came across a large cabinet shrouded with a large sheet which he hurriedly threw to the side. Opening the door he stuck his head within. Feeling a little deflated he shut the door but left the dusty sheet on the floor by the cabinet's feet. When he came to the end of the isle Harry stretched his arms to the ceiling, sighing when his back clicked and his shoulders popped. Just as he was about to start up his third row he noticed Dumbledore standing wearily at the end of his own row some fifty feet from him. The old man looked frustrated but with only a moment's pause set off again, his eyes wide in determined search.

Snape also appeared, his face clouded in annoyance. When he spotted Harry watching him, the Professor raised a slender eyebrow in question. Giving a weak smile despite his dislike for the man, Harry began on his third row. Once he had completely checked that isle, the three men would have search only five rows in total. God only knew how many they had left to cover but Harry guessed, judging by the size of the room that there could be no more than ten; however, the room could be very deceiving. For all he knew they had barely scratched the surface of their search.

As he had done twice already, Harry started his thorough search through all the abandoned possessions on either side of his person. When he was almost at the end of the isle he stopped and threw back his head, knocking into a book shelf, laden with heavy tomes and scruffy texts. The piece of furniture must have been missing a leg as it swayed, casting a few smaller novels off its shelves and into the back of Harry's head. A thought struck him as he looked down at the fallen book by his shoe clad feet. He had passed numerous book shelves on his way but had barely given them a second glance. He had assumed that nothing the size of tiara could fit behind one of the books without obviously showing that it was hiding something. In a serge of excitement Harry grabbed as many books as possible and threw them to the ground. He tore at all four shelves, ripping the paper to shreds in the process. When he found nothing hidden by the third shelf Harry became frantic and cleared the bottom shelf in one foul swoop, desperate to find the Diadem. A strangled scream of frustration ruptured within him and he crouched to the floor, his head in his hands as he pulled at his hair.

'Damn it!' he cursed. It was becoming too much. His scar was stinging and gave him a terrible head ache. He was tired, fed up, and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep for a week. Dragging himself up, he glanced at his watch. By the time he had entered Dumbledore's office and spoken with the headmaster it was already nine o'clock which meant that the three men had been marching up and down the seemingly infinite alleyways of the blasted room for over two hours. He wondered if either professor had somewhere else they needed to be; possibly a meeting for Dumbledore or a lesson for Snape. He told himself he must remember to thank the two men for taking time out their busy schedules to help him in what seemed a redundant venture. Then again one of them had kept secrets from him for years, failed to help him when he needed him the most and had effectively raised him to be murdered, and the other had wanted him dead from the moment he was born; or at least severally maimed.

Leaning against the shelves, Harry took a moment to relax and calm himself down. He knew that if he continued on in this manner he would never find the Horcrux. Once he had taken a few calming breaths he looked around himself and finally took in what it was he was actually seeing. For the last couple of hours he had been dead set on finding the Diadem and hadn't given much though to the items he tossed aside as he riffled through draws and hidden cupboards. Now that he was taking the time to actually look he found himself amazed by it all. The huge walls of varied objects, some more unusual than others, seemed to create a gigantic city, its streets twisting and turning, the buildings tall and crooked. He couldn't quite imagine how many years it must have taken for such a large volume of stuff as this to accumulate in the room. Just looking around where he stood, the items ranged from basic and everyday to like nothing he had ever seen before. The books, for example, that lay scattered on the floor; used by most people in the world practically everyday, and the weird bust of an ugly warlock wearing a wig. They were on different ends of the spectrum.

As he stretched his leg over the books something caught his eye. Finding his balance he turned back to the bust, kicking a few paperbacks out of the way so he could get a better look. When he saw what he thought he saw Harry held his breath, not wanting to get his hopes up. With a slightly nervous but excited voice he called out;

'I think I've found it.'

* * *

Severus took the middle row and set about checking the right side, then the left, allowing for optimum chance of spotting the Horcrux. The trouble was he didn't know entirely what it was he was looking for. All he knew was that he was searching for a Diadem. He had no clue as to its decoration or size. For all he knew there could be a whole cabinet full of tiaras. As he side stepped along his row, eyes fixed firmly on the wall of rubbish in front of him, he noted even more useless trash that had been left to gather dust inside the secretive room. There were items he was sure must have been there for hundreds of years, many things he failed to recognize as they were invented or in use in the Wizarding World before he was born. Others he could identify; fanged Frisbees, flying catapults, hats, jewels, and cloaks.

Although he tried to concentrate, Severus couldn't help ponder over what he had been told only hours earlier. To say he had been shocked to hear of Voldemort's Horcruxes was an understatement. He had never even thought it a possibility that the Dark Lord might have created Horcruxes or that Dumbledore would have kept such vital information from him for so long. While feeling betrayed by the elderly man, Severus also felt shame for not having figured it out sooner. He had read about Horcruxes before, had studied them on his own when he was still in school in fact, but he had never looked too deeply into the dark magic that created a Horcrux. It had intrigued him, as it would anyone. He had wanted to understand how it worked, how a person could split their own soul and put the other half in an inanimate object. However, the method used to do such a thing had put the young Severus off the idea of furthering his knowledge of that piece of magic. He hadn't wanted to think about what type of person would do such a thing to themselves, killing innocent people in the process. But now, it all made sense. If there was only one person in the world mad enough to do something that horrific, who else could it be other than Lord Voldemort; a man who killed his own father simple because he was a muggle.

When he reached the end of his row he heard a muffled scratching sound followed by a rough squeak. Turning around he peered closer to a table that had been covered with a large sheet. The shape of the item on the table was hard to make out and with caution, Severus snatched the sheet away, his wand held tightly in his other hand. He couldn't help the slight sigh of relief that passed his lips as he stared down at a record turntable that skipped every few turns. Discarding the sheet, he began making his way back up his row, checking up and down with each step.

He wasn't too pleased that Dumbledore had volunteered him to help but he supposed that however tedious this was going to be, it couldn't be worse then teaching a class of eleven year old Hufflepuffs. The time seemed to drag on Severus became impatient when he reached the end of his second isle and had seen nothing even resembling a tiara. He was about to start up the row that Potter had just finished, once again, when he noticed the boy watching him. He raised his eyebrow, wondering why the boy was looking at him with such a moronic expression on his face. _'He looks just like his stupid father.' _He scowled at the thought of the bully but was taken aback when the boy smiled at him, his eyes, his mother's beautiful eyes, creased with exhaustion and what he could only imagine to be fear. Before the Potions master could think more of it, the boy disappeared down the next row. Severus did the same, hoping that one of them would find it sometime soon.

He didn't realise just how soon that was going to be. After only another half an hour or so, Potter's voice called out through the room.

'I think I've found it.'

* * *

The three men stared up in awe. Each had their mouths open slightly, unable to form words as they gazed at the beautiful headpiece, its jewels glistening in the light that poured over the room from the high windows. The metal frame was slightly discolored and it appeared incredibly delicate; almost too much so to hold such a powerful piece of dark magic.

'It's…' Snape began.

'Amazing?' Dumbledore filled in with a sad smile.

Snape nodded, his eyes glazed over. He couldn't believe it. This was it? A Horcrux? '_One of the Dark Lord's Horcruxes?' _he thought as he gaped at the stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and a tiara. It seemed surreal to him that this small object, such an ordinary object at that, could hold a part of a human soul.

'Are we sure this is it?' Snape asked, shaking himself from his moment of lapsed concentration.

'Well if the pain in my head is anything to go by, I'd say yes.' Harry laughed but there was no humor in his voice. He too was looking up at the Diadem, his eyes wide in wonder. He seemed entranced by it; Snape and Dumbledore casting him odd and concerned looks.

Harry didn't question the feelings that were rising inside of him. He felt a powerful connection with the Diadem, something pulling them together. All thought of its destruction had slipped away and was replaced with a sense of protection; the need to keep the Horcrux trapped within the tiara safe and alive. He reached up to remove it from the bust but a hand on his arm stopped him.

Looking away, the connection dwindled slightly, Harry's sense coming back to him as he stared into Dumbledore's eyes. 'Don't touch it.' he said quietly. Harry's eyes twitched and flickered in his skull. His neck followed suit, cricking to the side, his spine popping in protest. The headmaster's hold on the boy loosened when Harry's eyes flashed red, the pupils dilating.

Then elderly man released Harry's arm and reached behind him, shoving the Potions master out of Harry's view. The sudden movement woke Harry from his trance and he frowned, confused, at the two men. Snape also looked a little disgruntled but seemed to understand the reason for Dumbledore's actions. The headmaster then levitated the Horcrux down onto the floor, a few feet from Harry. Passing the sword over to the boy, Dumbledore waited for him to take it. Harry complied but with a look of uncertainty on his face. As Harry approached the Horcrux that sat on the cold stone floor, the two professors took a step back, not exactly certain as to what was about to happen.

Harry twirled the handle of the sword of Gryffindor in his hand. The sword was reasonably heavy, enough so to provide plenty power to the swing. He remembered when he was younger and had to battle the Basilisk, using the sword to kill the humongous creature, and had struggled to lift it. But now it was so simple; all he had to do was swing and the Horcrux would be dead, leaving just Nagini and himself. However, standing above the Diadem, holding the sword in one hand, Harry found himself unable to move. He wanted to destroy it, needed to…but a part of him, courtesy of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, was desperate to stop him. Harry's need to destroy and protect were fighting against each other but luckily his ability to overpower the part of Voldemort's soul inside of him was stronger than the soul itself.

With the pain in his head accelerating and his mind overshadowing the parasitic soul within him Harry raised the sword, bringing his other arm up to support and apply a greater force, he brought the cool metal of the weapon upon the delicate structure of the Diadem. Almost as soon as the two metals made contact the sword was repelled by the Diadem, throwing Harry backwards, into the two men behind him. A bloodcurdling scream exploded from the headpiece as the Horcrux died, black smoke swirling into the air, fading as it reached above their heads. Once all the smoke had vanished and the screaming had silenced, the room became still.

The three men picked themselves up, Snape helping Dumbledore to stand. Harry made to get a better view of the diadem when he cried out, his hand flying to his head. He fell against a table, his legs giving out from under him. He collapsed to the floor, sweat breaking out all over his face, his body writhing in pain.

Dumbledore watched in horror as the memory from Harry's fifth year flooded back to him; the boy's eyes a deep red, his lips pulled back in a snarl. Harry's eyes once again changed from green to red and back again, each time staying red for a little longer until they were held as a pool of blood, almost swallowed whole by the black pupils that appeared almost animal like. Harry had fought against it, but like last time, he was too weak to defend his mind against that of the Dark Lord.

Despite all effort and using all the energy he had to fend off Voldemort, the man's magic was far too much to contend with, especially when he was this angry. Harry felt his whole body being taken over by another being, his mind being compressed to make room for another. He screamed out as Voldemort's thoughts strangled his own, reducing his ability to fight against the intrusion. However, while he was struggling against the man, Harry was also able to see and feel everything Voldemort could.

He was filled with anger, more anger than he could ever possibly imagine. But it was more than anger. It was fear, shock, sadness, and pain. Voldemort could not even comprehend what had just happened. He had felt the death of part of his soul and wanted to see if it was true. Harry looked over at the broken, twisted Diadem as it lay destitute on the floor. Burn marks scolded the surface, creating black soot over the metal. The sword of Gryffindor lay not five metres from it, also looking a little battered. His eyes then traveled up to glare into the face of a fearful Dumbledore. Harry felt the need to scream, to punch, hit, fight. It was a feeling that could lead someone to kill. He could imagine how satisfying it could be to squeeze down on someone's throat, to hold on tight as they writhed beneath him, to inflict pain and suffering so severe that the victim would wish for death. These feelings made the small part of Harry's mind, which continuously tried to push Voldemort out, sick as the images that flitted through his head.

'You'll regret this, old man.' Harry hissed, his throat burning from the venom in his voice.

The pressure in this head then began to seep away as Voldemort removed himself from Harry's mind. However, as he pulled away, Harry's mind was taken with him momentarily.

The room he saw was dark; the only light coming from a few torches on the wall. Voldemort was sat at a long table, the almost black wood was coated with a fine varnish, creating a perfectly smooth surface for Nagini to slither across to her master and wrap herself over his shoulders. The Dark Lord appeared to be alone, otherwise. His wand was on the table before him while he fingered it gently despite his rage. However, he seemed to calm as he stood from his seat, the snake slinking to the floor. He turned around and glided towards a door at the back of the room, passing a portrait of an elderly blonde man leaning on an intricate cane. Voldemort reached out and opened the door into a long passage way. He hurried through until he came to another door which led to another, smaller, dining room. Looking around he made account for all his present Death Eaters, save Severus, who were all sat around a similar table to the one he had just left. They all watched him as he stood at the end of the table and waited for their orders.

'It's time. We're going to Hogwarts.'

A conversation began but the image and sounds started to fade and Harry felt the connection slipping. The Dark Lord and his followers were moving further and further away as the image of the cool tiled floor of the room of requirement filtered back through.

'Harry?' Dumbledore whispered as the boy's eyes returned to their natural green. 'Speak to me, Harry.'

'…c…com-coming…he's coming…he's on his way.' Harry shuddered as he fully regained his mind and slumped against the wall of furniture.

'What do you mean?' Snape asked as he came into view from behind the wardrobe he had been hiding behind under the headmaster's command.

'He's coming to the school. I heard him speaking to his Death Eaters.' Harry sighed in relief as the pain in his scar lessened and his head stopped pounding. 'He was at Malfoy Manor and knows what we've done.'

Dumbledore furrowed his brow and retrieved the sword from the floor. 'I must send out a Patronus to the Oder members and anyone else who'll be able to fight. Voldemort won't be expecting us to be prepared for his attack so we may be to an advantage.' The elderly man held out a hand to Harry who took it and allowed him to heave the boy to his feet. 'Severus,' Dumbledore addressed the brunette sadly, 'you must go to him. He'll be expecting you.' He indicated to Severus' arm where the Dark Mark was burning slightly. 'Be careful.'

Severus nodded once, his face set in determination but Harry was sure he saw sorrow in the man's black eyes.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I hope you all liked it.

**Allen Pitt- **Harry is a sorry little soul. Using Malfoy to break into Gringotts to get the cup would have been a good idea but Dumbledore's actually already destroyed it. In the last chapter Dumbledore told Snape that Dobby found it and brought it to him. Sorry if I didn't make that clear or write that bit well. It would have been a really good idea though and would have given Draco a bigger role. He is my favorite character after all. Thanks for your review.

**Phoenixx Rising- **Thank you. Snape is just so funny in the books and Alan Rickman is so good at playing him in the films.

Please review.


	28. The Phoenix Calls

Hello! One of the last chapters guys. :(

Please enjoy!

* * *

Walking Free

_The Phoenix Calls_

Remus smiled to himself as the warmth of the crisp winter sun glowed across his face, a biting breeze whistling through the branches of the naked trees that hung overhead. His wife was at his side, holding his hand as they made their way back home after Tonks' anomaly scan, a mid pregnancy scan that was done around eighteen to twenty weeks. When they had first suspected the pregnancy Tonks had been roughly two month along but she had reached her fourth month a few days ago and her stomach had begun to grow into a small bump, noticeable but small all the same.

They had left St. Mungo's with big grins on their faces as the Healer had been able to determine the sex of the baby and had also told the couple that there were no abnormalities with the foetus, suggesting that Remus' condition had not been passed on to his daughter. All the fears that Remus had held about having another baby had flown out the window and he was finally able to look forward to Teddy having a younger sibling.

The toddler in question was sat on his father's hip, his little feet knocking into Remus' side at every step. He was holding the small photo of the foetus, the tiny baby fidgeting and waving its arms around slightly before settling back down and turning away from the viewer. The magical photo would then restart and replay the scene. Teddy found this hilarious and let out a squawk of laughter each time the baby moved.

'I think he likes his sister.' Tonks smiled, reaching up to tickle her son under his chin.

'Hmm,' Remus agreed, 'for now at least.'

'What d'you mean by that?'

'Well, once the baby comes we'll both be busy looking after her and won't have as much time for Teddy. He'll very quickly become jealous.'

Tonks looked distraught and took the toddler from her husband and cuddled him closely.

'Mummy will always have time for her little angel.' she cooed. She squashed the child's face against her cheek lovingly but the boy looked a little surprised and scrunched up his features as his mother held him a little too tightly for comfort.

Wrapping an arm over her shoulders, Remus led her up the steps to their front door where he unlocked and the three shuffled through. Teddy was soon stumbling through to the living room where a box of his toys was kept, his father following with a smile. Tonks lingered in the hall as she removed her shoes with one hand, holding the photo of her baby in the other. She still couldn't believe that this was happening. She had longed for another baby for months but had never discussed the subject with her husband in fear of rejection. She knew of his fears, she too had been worried during both her pregnancies as to whether their children were healthy or not, but it hadn't reduced her need and longing for having children with Remus. She loved him with all her heart, had done for years, ever since she met the quiet, gentle wolf. He had always been kind to her, often showing a little more affection for her than any of the other Order members and she had found herself smitten with him. However, Tonks had never dreamed that one day her dream man would return her feelings and that they would be married not long after. And now she was carrying his second child? It seemed too good to be true.

She grinned like a fool as she kicked her wellington boot across the hall, shrugging as it splattered snow and dirt over the wall. Bringing the photo to her lips she placed a soft kiss over the baby before dashing upstairs in excitement to add it to her baby book.

'Don't run up the stairs, Tonks!' Remus called from the living room. 'You could fall and-'

Tonks rolled her eyes as he spoke but as she ran her foot got caught on the carpet and she tripped, falling to her knees. She gasped in shock and grabbed out for the banister as she fell, luckily stopping herself from landing on her protruding stomach. She held her breath for a moment, her arm shaking in surprise. Remus hurried towards her, placing his hands on her hips to turn her around. She allowed him to turn her and she sat on a step looking a little pale.

'I'm fine.' she assured him hurriedly.

'I told you to be careful.' Remus scolded but the fear in his eyes gave him away. He was more worried than angry. 'You could have hurt the baby.'

'I know, I'm sorry.' Tonks sighed and relaxed into the hug her husband lay on her. 'But in a month or so, I won't be able to run anywhere so I wouldn't worry.'

Remus laughed and released her, stroking her face then her bump, kissing her on the lips. 'Well until then, no more racing up the stairs. D'you hear me?'

'Yes sir!' Tonks saluted, back to her cheerful self. She then stood and continued up the stairs.

Remus shook his head in despair. His wife could be so clumsy at times it was unbelievable. When they had first met he had wondered how she had become apart of the Order. She seemed like a liability to him; always making mistakes, tripping over things, discussing secret matters in public loud enough for people across the street to hear. For a while she had annoyed him, only being nice to her so she wouldn't feel downhearted when she fouled up yet another mission, but as he got to know the young metamorphmagus he had realised that he was far too quick to judge. Nymphadora Tonks was a bright, educated, quick witted young witch who had excellent control of her metamorphing skills and proved very useful on numerous occasions. She was also beautiful. While she spent a lot of her time with the face of a pig or other farm yard animals, Remus had fallen for her wild hair that changed colour almost every minute, her slightly squashed, crooked nose and the way her lips curved over his teeth when she smiled. He had been embarrassed by his attraction to her, believing that no woman that young and wonderfully talented could possibly be interested in an old, battered wolf like himself.

After checking that Teddy was still absorbed in playing with his toys, Remus went to the kitchen to make some tea. He set the kettle to boil, preferring to make the beverage the muggle way as it gave a more satisfying taste than using magic. He was just pouring two mugs when Tonks came shuffling through and began riffling through the cupboards.

'What are you looking for?'

'Food.' she replied simply.

'I should have guessed.' he smirked, earning a glare from his wife.

'What's that supposed to mean?' she snapped, her mood suddenly changing for the third time since they had arrived home.

'Nothing…don't you just think it's a little early for lunch?' he asked as he glanced at his watch. 'It's only half eleven.'

Tonks seemed to ponder on the though for a moment, her hand rubbing her bulge as if it would provide an answer to the question. 'The baby doesn't think so.'

Remus laughed and passed her a mug of tea as he pulled a can of baked beans out of the cupboard. He then sat at the table and lost himself in the paper. He was reading a particularly interesting article on Troll rights when a familiar smell assaulted his nostrils. Taking a deeper breath to identify the smell Remus shot out of his seat and hurried across the room to the stove where Tonks was standing over the hob, peering into her saucepan of cold beans.

'I turned it on but they won't cook, Remy.' she said confused, her finger on her lip in thought.

Her husband leant passed her and quickly turned the knob, shutting off the gas that for the last few minutes had been pumping into his kitchen. 'What are you doing?!' he cried out.

Tonks appeared shocked at his outburst. 'Cooking beans…'

'More like killing us!'

Tonks stared up at him, he eyes wide and shining. She then began to cry, bucket loads of tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. 'I- I I I- I d-don't under-understand…wh- what I did wrong!'

Remus softened and cast cleaning charm on her face, the messy tears disappearing instantly but her eyes were still red. 'You turned on the gas but you didn't ignite it.'

'Is that bad?'

Remus laughed through his nose. 'Yes, it is. But why didn't you just use magic to light the stove if you don't know how to use it?'

She scrunched up her face and rubbed it with her hand. 'It makes me tired, using magic.' Remus didn't seem to understand. 'I'm already tired from lugging this around,' she pointed to her stomach, 'so it doesn't help that using my wand practically drains me of the energy I have left. So I don't bother.'

Remus was suddenly concerned and led his wife to a chair. 'You didn't have this problem with Teddy, did you?'

She shook her head and sipped on her tea. 'Not really. Of course I got tired but not this early on in the pregnancy. And I don't really recall having issues with my magic either.' She shrugged the matter off until she noticed the look of fear in her husband's eyes. 'Oh honey,' she stood and slipped onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. 'I'll be okay. I'm pretty sure it's just to do with stress. All I can think about these days is the war and Harry. It's making me nervous a lot of the time and I'm sure that's not helping with my already restless nights.' Remus peered up at her, his eyes wide and damp. Tonks smiled at him and kissed him softly on the lips.

'I love you Remus Lupin.'

'I love you too.' his voice was muffled by her jumper as he buried his head in her warmth. 'But if you feel even the slightest bit ill,' he said sternly as he pulled away. 'you let me know right away.'

'Yes sir.' Tonks said, saluting him again. They cuddled a little longer at the table until Teddy came tumbling in, whining and protesting loudly about being ignored for so long. Tonks shuffled off Remus' lap after a lingering kiss and scooped the child up into her arms. 'I think it's time for someone's din-dins!'

'Maybe I should sort this one out.' Remus grinned as his wife scowled. He was about to heat up the forgotten beans when he felt an interruption in the house wards he'd put up when the family moved into their home. Remus wasn't worried as the magic that had disturbed the wards was allowed through, meaning it was harmless and he had allowed it access into his home. Turning around he came face to face with a glowing white phoenix. The glorious creature settled on the back of one of the chairs and Dumbledore's voice erupted from its break in a worried tone.

'Voldemort is on his way. He is preparing an attack on Hogwarts. Help is needed immediately. Notify all known allies.'

Neither of the two Order members spoke for a minute. When Tonks gulped loudly, her husband turned to her, a worried look settled across his face.

'I need to go to Hogwarts.' Remus said firmly as the animal faded and his son broke out into tears in his baby seat.

'I'll come with you.'

'You will do no such thing.'

'What?' Tonks asked angrily.

'I said you're not going with me. End of.' Remus left the kitchen, putting on his shoes, ready to apparate to the school.

'Don't you dare tell me what to do!'

'You're four months pregnant! The last thing you should be doing is charging head first into a raging battle with the most powerful dark wizard in the world. You could be killed!'

'Oh and you won't be?' Tonks crossed her arms over her chest. 'Don't act like the brave soldier now, Remus. You'd be putting yourself in as much danger as me so you might as well let me join you.'

Remus' eyes widened and he took both her hands in his. 'We could lose the baby.' he said painfully.

The message finally seemed to pass into Tonks' mind and she fell silent. Remus could sense her fear and hugged her close. 'I didn't think of that.' she whispered.

'I know. But now you have, will you promise me that you'll stay here…safe?'

Tonks looked unsure but after another begging glance from her husband she nodded once and he sighed in relief. 'Just…be careful, okay?'

Remus smiled sadly and pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. 'I promise you, I will come home to you. I'm not going to let anything happen to me. I'll never leave you like that if I can help it.' Bending his head he captured her lips in another kiss, holding her neck gently to bring them closer. He felt her lips part and her tongue trail along his own. Almost as soon as the kiss had begun to deepen, Remus stepped back, unable to let himself get carried away in the moment. Turning to his tearful child, Remus picked him up and hugged him tightly, kissing his small cheeks and fluffy hair. 'You better look after your mummy while I'm gone.' he whispered, reaching a hand out to rub Tonks' round stomach. 'You need to watch out for them both.'

Tonks slipped under his arm and joined the family hug. She felt her eyes dampen and took a shaky breath. She told herself to remain calm, not to panic but for all she knew, this could be the last time she saw her husband…alive. She may never get to talk to him again, hold him, kiss him, make love with him…watch their babies grow into adults…grow old together. He could be taken from her in moments or have to endure a painful death…and she could do nothing about it.

'I can't believe it's time…' she said distantly. 'I can't believe it's finally happening…that soon it could all be over…for better or for worse.'

'Hey, don't think about that now. You need to be strong…for me. Can you do that?' Remus enveloped her in a final hug before making for the door. Tonks stood breathless in the kitchen, her right hand resting on her belly, her left clenched so tight she could feel the wedding ring on her finger digging into her cold palm. As Teddy submitted into a distressed silence the only sound in the airy room was Tonks' strangled whisper after her husband's departure.

'I love you.'

* * *

Ron automatically squeezed his girlfriend's hand when she slipped her small fingers around his own. She looked a little shaken, as he was sure he must do too, at the message they had just received. They had been sat in the bedroom, Ron dressing for work and Hermione leaning back on the headboard reading through some papers she had been working on for the release of mistreated House Elves. The couple, both working in the Ministry, had both discovered that their work required some rather odd hours and at first had found it hard to see each other due to their clashing time tables. However they had managed to work around the difficult hours, swapping shifts with co workers until they had almost completely harmonious schedules. Now they could spend as much time together as possible and often found themselves eating lunch or dinner together before going back to work. However, today was one of the rare days that they were working back to back hours and, once Ron left for his midday shift, wouldn't see one another until the next morning.

As the bird had come swooping in through the open window Ron had been startled and grabbed the nearest object to defend himself with. The phoenix had seemed completely undeterred by the black boot that went soaring through the air and sliced through its body. It stopped on the end of the bed frame and relayed the headmaster's message.

Once the patronus had disappeared Ron and Hermione sat quietly on the bed, side by side, neither ready for what was about to happen. They had been preparing for this moment, when Voldemort would finally make a move and commence a battle to finish off what he had started so many years ago. Hundreds of people, on sides both light and dark, had been waiting for this last fight and many of them would, and were willing to, lose their lives because of it. Hermione felt sick at the thought of it but what scared her more was the thought that the reason why this battle was taking place was because Voldemort was ready to kill Harry. The two of them would meet face to face at Hogwarts, amongst the raging war surrounding them, or possibly away from the madness where Voldemort could have his victorious moment all to himself. She could only hope that it wouldn't come to that; and Harry would find a way to defeat the man once and for all.

'I guess we better go tell Malfoy.' Ron said quietly.

Hermione nodded, her curls quivering as she took a shaky breath. However, she stood with determination, led her boyfriend by the hand to the living room where she had spotted the blonde earlier that morning. Malfoy didn't look up as they entered, preferring to ignore the pair as best he could.

'Malfoy.'

The blonde seemed engrossed in the book he was reading as he produced no response.

'Malfoy?!'

He simply licked the end of his finger and idly turned the page.

'Oi, blondie!'

Shutting the book Draco turned to the couple with a weary expression. 'Alright Weasley…I give in. What are you yodeling about this time?'

Refusing to take the bait, Ron bit back the retort that was dancing on the tip of his tongue. 'Hogwarts is…V-v…we need to-'

'Voldemort is on his way to Hogwarts.'

The book fell to the floor.

* * *

Hermione sat on the bottom step of the stair case, pulling on her shoes as Ron made a few firecalls and Draco paced along the corridor on the floor above. He had a difficult decision to make, both Ron and Hermione understood that, but they couldn't delay on his part for too long; Harry and the rest of Hogwarts needed them.

Ron soon came bounding down the stairs and started getting ready to leave. After watching Malfoy dart around the living room in shock and panic, the redhead had ushered the wizard and witch out of the room so he could call work and find out if the Aurors knew what was happening. He soon found out that Kingsley had been informed by Dumbledore, as well as a few other Order members, and had already gathered the Aurors who were leaving for the school immediately. Ron then hurriedly grabbed another handful of floo powder and firecalled the Burrow.

George appeared first and asked Ron if he had received the message from Dumbledore and then if he and Hermione were still okay. Once Ron had replied and assured his brother to his wellbeing, he asked to speak to their mum who quickly came bustling over and crouched down before him.

'Hello dear, shouldn't you be at the school by now?' She smiled brightly and used her calming mothering tone, but Ron could tell by the wideness of her eyes and the way she wrung her hands that she was as nervous as he was.

'We're just on our way…I just wanted to see you…before we left.'

Molly's eyes creased with sadness and her lips trembled. 'Oh poppet…don't be like that. It'll all be alright…you'll see.'

'But it might not be.' Ron sad quickly. 'It's going to be really dangerous and…so…I don't want you to go.'

'What? Of course I'm going-'

'Please mum! I can't…we can't lose you!'

'You won't lose me, darling. I won't let that happen. But listen here Ronald; my family is going into this battle to fight for the people they love and yes, some of them may be injured or…die because of it but I'll be damned if you think I'm going to sit idly by and watch it happen. I'm going to fight because it's the only thing I can do. Don't worry about us…we'll all look out for each other. You just kept yourself, Hermione and Harry safe, okay?'

Ron nodded, unable to reply. 'I love you, Mum.' he finally croaked.

'I love you too, my sweet.'

He sniffed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. 'Send my love to everyone…even Percy…if you see him.'

After a few more words of comfort from his mother, Ron bid her farewell and stood from the green flames.

* * *

Yay! Another chapter. Only a couple left before then end...

**NarglesAreBehindIt- **Thank you. Hope you enjoy this chapter and the fighting that's about to come up.

**Phoenixx Rising- **He is creepy but I love writing Voldemort because he you can write him either quite funny (in a creepy way of course) or really scary. It often helps if you've had a bad day and feel like hitting someone to make old Voldy do it for you. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Snape will make it through unscathed. Hope you liked this chapter.

**blaizeice9967- **Awwww! I wanna give you a hug! Thank you. After receiving a rather nasty review for a pervious chapter recently that made me doubt myself, your review really made me happy. Thank you! I've been working on this story for about two years and it's been hard with school work and my self confidence at times too. But I'm glad some people like what I write and take the time to let me know. I'm really happy that you're enjoying it, even if Harry is, like you said, a little ooc. I understand what you mean. I thought that maybe Azkaban would have changed him, knocked his confidence, but he does seem a bit wimpy. Please review again.


	29. The Students Return

Sorry for the wait. I've been busy at school.

Please enjoy.

* * *

Walking Free

_The students return_

Harry relaxed into the back of an old dresser and closed his eyes while Dumbledore sent out a patronous to all the order members. The brunette coughed in discomfort as blood began to flow from his nose and fill his mouth. The warm, thick liquid began to trickle down his throat, making him splutter and spray speckles of blood over his clothes and the floor. The Headmaster turned to him and crouched by his side.

'Let me see, my boy.' He tilted Harry's head upwards to inspect the injury and clotted the bleeding with a wave of his wand when he realised it was simply a nose bleed caused, he assumed, by the swelling of the power of the Horcrux inside Harry. He then cast a cleaning charm on his face which removed all traces of blood on his face and inside his mouth.

'Thanks.' he said softly, his mouth still feeling a little tacky.

'We should get going, Harry. I must inform the rest of the staff and the students need to be evacuated.' Harry nodded and slowly, with aid of the furniture behind him, got to his feet. Dumbledore sent out another message, this time to all three remaining head of houses, telling them to meet him in his office immediately. The elderly man gave Harry once over, checking for any other injuries before leading them both out of the Room of Requirement. They hurried down the many staircases to the third floor where Dumbledore's office was situated. When they arrived they found Sprout and Flitwick approaching the large statue, muttering urgently between themselves.

'Albus!' Sprout said worriedly. 'Has something happened?'

'I'll let you all know as soon as we are in the office, Pomona.' Dumbledore said gently but Harry could hear the tone of fear in his voice. He then gave the password and the four wizards filed up the stairs and entered the office to find McGonagall waiting by his desk, her eyes creased with concern.

'Potter, it's good to see you again.'

Harry nodded in return as he slumped into a chair in front of the desk. His legs had begun to shake and he was exhausted. He had no idea how would face Voldemort now when he was in such a state. He just hoped that the adrenalin would kick in soon.

Dumbledore, once everyone was in the room, began to explain the situation. 'It has come to our attention that Voldemort is planning on ambushing the castle shortly. It is clear that he will not cease his attack until he is successful.' The room was silent as the new suck in. Flitwick put a hand to his forehead, while Sprout shut damp eyes, he fists clenched tightly. McGonagall pursed her lips and stood tall, her determination not to become emotional clear in her stature. 'We must defend ourselves as best possible. I shall inform Hagrid to enlist the help of any creatures in the forest who are willing to fight for our side. However, the most important matter at hand is evacuating the students. Minerva, could you please organize for the students to meet in the Great Hall at once. I will notify the students to the upcoming events and then they must split into their houses where they can be led, by yourselves, to numerous fireplaces to be evacuated safely.'

'But Albus, where is Severus.' Flitwick questioned.

Dumbledore sighed. 'He is unattainable at the moment. For the purposes of evacuation I will be in charge of the Slytherins'. Are there any questions?'

* * *

The Great Hall was buzzing with activity and intrigued voices. Some students looked a little bored, probably expecting some lecture on behavior or exams. Harry swallowed thickly as he looked past the door to the hall, waiting for Dumbledore to led him into the room. He had been talking hastily to Hagrid who had pulled Harry into a bear hug as soon as he entered the school. The half giant then ran back out of the building and the headmaster marched into the hall, Harry following nervously, and stood before the school.

The students hushed their chatter when they noticed Harry Potter stood only a few metres from the headmaster, next to McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick.

'Students. I am afraid to be the barer of bad news. I am sure you all know of the raging war that has been encompassed in our lives for many years. It has been escalating to this point. Earlier today it came to our knowledge,' he indicated to Harry, 'that Lord Voldemort is on his way to the castle.'

Harry should have expected the response. Screams erupted and many students began shoving passed their classmen, desperate to escape the school. The Staff automatically started to herd them back into the hall, trying to calm the panicked teenagers.

'SILENCE!' Dumbledore roared over the cries and screamed. 'Do not panic! There is no reason to do so!' The students calmed a little and turned back to face him. 'You will shortly be evacuated. All students whom are underage must be evacuated and those over the age of seventeen who wish to fight may stay. Now, you must follow your head of house to their offices.' The majority of the students began stumbling towards their respective professors while the Slytherins stood in a worried group, looking around themselves for Snape. 'As Professor Snape is currently unavailable all Slytherins are to follow myself.'

The headmaster then turned to Harry. 'I need you to stay here and round up the sixth and seventh years that wish to fight.'

Harry nodded nervously and remained standing on the platform while the rest of the school filed out of the hall. In a voice that he hoped sounded confident, he called out over the noise.

'Any students wishing to fight please come to me.'

At first he saw no sign of willing volunteers. The teenagers continued to flood from the hall, faces transfixed in complex emotion. Harry was starting to feel like a complete idiot, standing up there alone, practically being ignored, when a few gangly boys began pushing back through the crowd. They stopped in front of him and one gave a weak smile, the other seemed excited and bounced on the balls of his feet. A few other students then joined, mostly boys with a handful of girls. He was about to start counting the students when he spotted Dennis Creevey waving at him from the group. He was stood by a tall girl who had her arm around his, looking a little pale. Harry noticed that one of the boys, a Ravenclaw, was wearing the headboy's badge while a couple other students wore prefect badges. It seemed they were fulfilling their duty as heads of the school and while Harry thought it admirable, he decided it was time to weed out the unwilling of those surrounding him.

'I have to admit, I'm surprised by the number of people here.' he said after quickly counting the people before him; roughly forty students had stayed behind. 'I think it's commendable that you are all prepared to go to battle for us, for the whole of the Wizarding world but I have to warn you that this isn't a game. This is real life. There will be blood, there will be pain and there will be death. You yourselves may die fighting.' The students began to fidget nervously, a few of them tugging on each others' sleeves, already wanting to leave. 'This will not be easy and the outcome could be devastating. None of you have any obligation to fight. You have all chosen to be here so if any of you wish to leave, then please do. We haven't got the time to watch out for those who find themselves unwilling to help when it is needed the most. However, do not feel ashamed if you wish to be evacuated with the rest of the school. No one will think you a coward.' The students remained still apart from a girl who stood at the back. She grabbed her friends hand and pulled him away from the group and hurried to the door. The boy looked back, his cheeks red with embarrassment but Harry gave him a nod of reassurance. 'Like I said, this is not a game or some adventure that will end when you get tired or want to go home. I've noticed that a few of you seem excited at the prospect of fighting. This worries me.' He looked purposefully at the boy who had been a little too eager not long ago who now took the opportunity to stare at his feet. 'If you go into this battle with the idea that this is going to be fun or anything like your DADA lessons then you are sorely mistaken. If you go into this battle with that attitude you won't last ten seconds.'

After giving them all the chance to leave once again, where they all stayed put, Harry gave them a few tips on how to defend themselves against more than one opponent. He advised them to stick together and allow no one to attack them from behind. He told them all to choose a group of a least four friends to stay with during the battle, which gave Dennis Creevey the chance to approach him.

'That was a great speech Harry, really superb.' the boy began at supersonic speed. 'You really got them all pumped! This is gonna be so intense. I can't believe I'm really here, with you, Harry Potter, about to fight against the Darkest Wizard of all time! Collin should be coming any minute now. I sent him a message just now to let him know. He's photographer now, did you know? He works for the _Daily Prophet. _Mum's really proud of him. Hey, this is my friend, Natalie.' He briefly indicated to the girl behind him who was biting her lip. 'I told you about her the last time I saw you. McDonald.' Harry looked at him in silence as the boy stopped for breath. 'That's her surname. McDonald. Just in case you didn't know.'

'That's great, Dennis.' Harry smiled at Natalie who flushed pink and tried to pull Dennis away. 'But Dennis, you know I was serious, didn't you?' Dennis looked a little confused. 'This is going to be very dangerous and I need you to take me seriously.'

Dennis nodded then smiled his usual goofy smile. 'No worries, Harry. I'll be fine!'

'You are of age, aren't you, Dennis?'

'Yep, yep, course I am. Wouldn't be here if I wasn't, would I?'

A portly woman, as round and she was high, with short brown hair and a friendly smile, despite the situation, then appear from the crowd and told the students to follow her. Harry caught Dennis' arm and asked who she was.

'That's Mrs. Higginbottom, Defense of the Dark Arts. She's perfectly nice and knows her stuff but when it comes to practicals, well…she needn't bother squeezing herself from her seat.'

Harry's heart sank and he sighed. 'Great.'

'You know, cause she's like really fat.'

'Yeah, I got it, Dennis, thanks.'

'Well, I'll see you later, Harry!' Harry waved him off, hoping that'd be the case. As he watched the boy hurried after the other students, wringing his hands nervously. As they passed through the large double doors Harry noticed a familiar group of people. He frowned in concern as he recognized a few of his past classmates who apparently hadn't been particularly supportive when he was arrested. Ron and Hermione were in the group and soon spotted him. The redhead made his way over, the others following.

'Hey.' Ron said as he approached. 'You feeling okay?'

Harry nodded with a quivering smile, tentatively accepting the hug that Hermione threw around him. She pulled away and looked into his eyes. Harry could see the fear in her face, but she tried to appear confidant, holding her head high. 'We came as soon as we got the message.'

'What about Malfoy?' Harry questioned, noticing his absence. 'He's not coming?'

Ron shrugged. 'He was still trying to make up his mind when we left. Wearing out the carpets with his bloody pacing.'

'I hope he makes the right decision.' Hermione said.

Harry sighed. 'Me too.'

He looked around himself then, at the people he had once been to school with. He saw Luna Lovegood and Lavender Brown standing together, the latter biting her nails while Luna chatted away happily, clearly trying to diffuse the tension. He also noticed Dean, Seamus and Neville as well as numerous other members of their year group. Harry was surprised by some of the people there but assumed that once word of the battle had been let out it would have spread among friends and family and it seemed many of them were prepared to fight.

Scanning through the throng of people once again Harry caught the eyes of Seamus who gave him a short nod to which Harry raised a brow. Seamus had been one of the many people to turn their backs on him during his stint in Azkaban. Had it simply been the man's lack of trust in him Harry wouldn't have minded so much; what else were people supposed to think when he was put in prison for murder, but according to Ron the boy had said some rather vile things which he hadn't expected from a friend.

However, now was not the time for self pity. Voldemort and his Death Eater were coming; he could feel the magic burning. His forehead began to throb, sending a sickening chill down his spine, despite the fact that he had started to perspire under the pressure of his task.

For all he knew, within the next few hours, he and his loved one would be dead.

* * *

The clock refused to cease its continuous chatter. It was the only persistent noise in the room and it niggled at the occupant's confused mind. The second hand staggered round in a steady, monotonous rhythm, pausing after each tick, as if to emphasize the time slipping away, running out. The minute hand quivered round at an agonizing speed, following its instructions from the second hand. The occupant of the room watched the slim hands as they moved around the clock face. At first is appeared like an unfair race, in favor of the smaller hand which moved at an astonishing rate compared to its large competitor who's sluggish movements held it back. The occupant then scolded himself for not seeing the obvious advantage to the larger hand. The distance it had to travel was so much smaller that in turn, it balanced out the advantage of the smaller hand's speed, equaling to a fair race, which wasn't actually a race at all…simple a ticking clock.

The clock struck the hour.

'Bloody hell, Draco!' the blonde growled to himself. 'Concentrate!'

He stood from his chair in the living room with force, propelling himself forward as he began to pace the floor. Weasley and Granger had left the house an hour ago, leaving Draco to make up his mind as to which side he would support, if he managed to pluck up the courage to go at all, when he made it to Hogwarts. In his mind there was no question as to which side, dark or light, he was in favor of. While his father may still be immersed in the twisted world of the Dark Lord, his mother had always doubted her decision to join her husband along the treacherous path of the Death Eaters. She had always been a compassionate woman and cared deeply for her family, especially her husband and only son. It was because of this love and trust in her husband that she followed him into the dark and that love for her son that made her regret her decision ever since. Herself and Lucius had effectively ruined their son's life by involving themselves with the Dark Lord and trying to convince him to fulfill his duty as a Malfoy and join them. Narcissa may not have been particularly pleased with the idea of Draco becoming a Death Eater, yet she did little to stop it from happening. During the time Draco was allowed to make his decision, which they all had known since the matter was brought up; Narcissa became more and more concerned for her child's safety. Draco was not like his father. They may look alike but where Lucius had a thirst for power, Draco had cowardice. Lucius was desperate to fight for control over others, to come out on top and although this had been installed in their son since birth, the motivation was simply not there. From the age of two, Narcissa had known that her son was a coward. He was very unwilling to attempt anything unknown to him. Getting the child to walk had been a nightmare as whenever she tried to encourage him to do it he simply whimpered and grizzled up at his mother and she would hurriedly scoop him up into her arms, hating to see him upset. She couldn't help but indulge her only child, her baby boy. Unknowingly she had led her son to live a sheltered life and encouraged fear at the thought of independence. As he grew up he obeyed orders, did as his father said and never questioned the path he was born to follow. The only time he had to fend for himself was at school by which point he had been indoctrinated with thoughts of blood purity and used his newfound freedom to spread the word of his father, bullying others into believing that all muggleborns were a disgrace to the Wizarding world and should not be allowed to practice magic, especially in schools.

However, now it was different. He was on his own. Draco knew that whatever he was going to do next was up to him. He had the control over his actions and no one else. Neither of his parents were there to help him or tell him what he should do. He had to be a man and make those decisions for himself.

In frustration he stopped pacing in front of the fireplace, bringing both hands up to hold onto the mantelpiece, arms outstretched. His hair flopped into his eyes and his shoulders drooped. Glancing up he caught his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were dark with fear, the pupils wide and full. Flicking his hair out of his eyes he stared more deeply into the eyes of his reflection. He continued to stare as he felt the presence of his parents in the room with him. He knew he was alone but he could see them in the eyes that stared back at him. He was a mixture of the good and bad within both his parents and he knew that despite the things they had all done because of their power hungry mindsets, they were a family. He needed to do all he could to protect them.

Turning around he grabbed his wand from the sofa and hurried downstairs to the hall. Throwing open the door he hurried through, slamming it behind him. Moments later he was spinning in a blur as he apparated on the spot. Almost instantly he was staggering as he landed on a hill top in Hogsmeade. From where stood he could clearly see the mass of dark wizards outside the school gates, shooting curses at the gigantic ward surrounding the building. Draco watched, a lump in his throat, as the ward began to split and crumble away, becoming weaker by the second. He knew that in only moments Hogwarts would be invaded and many innocent people were soon to die.

* * *

**blaiseice9967- **Sorry, it's coming to and end. :(

**NarglesAreBehindIt- **Hope you liked it. It was a bit short though and not much happened.

**Fred- **Yeah, I know that his wand it 11 inches (and three quaters) but she was blushing because of how Ron's comment sounded, not because of the lenght. :)

**Jim Red Hawk- **I'm also not that keen on Ginny/Harry but I don;t really think that we could say that he would be better off with Daphne, Susan or Tracu because we know practically nothing about them. They are hardly mentioned in the books. But I do agree with you about Ginny not being the best match for Harry although I think that could just be because I don't like movie Ginny. Book Ginny is a lot better.

**bonepart118- **They never liked each other to begin with so would be unlikely to spend time together even if they were in the smae house, so they wouldn't be friends I guess.

**Phoenixx Rising- **Aww thanks. I want Voldy to die in a hole. But I love Ralph Fiennes.

**DukeBrymin- **He's bitter so he's smiling sarcastically.


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